Renegade
by SteelerfanInChicago
Summary: This is a sequel to a previous work, Reunion, a story that took place two years after the movie DEBS ending.  This sequel deals with the aftermath of Lucy Diamond's death concentrating mainly on Amy Bradshaw. Other themes involved are biological warfare.
1. Chapter 1

What happens to a dream deferred?  
Does it dry up  
Like a raisin in the sun?  
Or fester like a sore--  
And then run?  
Does it stink like rotten meat?  
Or crust and sugar over--  
like a syrupy sweet?  
Maybe it just sags  
like a heavy load.  
Or does it explode?

Langston Hughes

**R E N E G A D E **

**Prologue**

**Undone**

**DEBS SICKBAY: 2006 Washington D.C.**

Scud, Janet, and Doc stood agape as the line on Lucy's monitor flat lined; while Amy, tears streaming down her face screamed. _This wasn't happening. This is all a bad dream and when I wake up, Lucy will be beside me smiling her sweet smile._ Amy chanted that over and over to herself, desperately deluding, anything to grasp at some ray of hope. Anything that would make her Lucy wake up, smile and crack one of her famous tongue in cheek jokes about bad hospital food or sadistic vampire phlebotomists.

Amy watched the attendants in the room unhook Lucy from the monitors. They were dressed in sea green scrubs and tennis shoes, white rubber gloves and slip covers on their shoes, faces partially obscured by the sterile white surgical masks covering their faces. They went about their tasks quickly. Death was an infectious monster that stole your soul when you weren't looking. No one likes to be around after the grim reaper has visited. Family members were usually the only ones remaining in the room, but as Lucy's family had departed this world several years ago, her corpse, slowly growing colder with each passing second, was attended by strangers pulling the white hospital sheet up over her face.

_Why oh why couldn't Doc save her?_

_Oh my God …_

_I failed her what am I going to do now?_

_JICON … JICON … a genetically engineered virus …_

Unspoken thoughts floated up towards the ceiling like vapors pressing against the windows of tear-filled eyes, a pressure cooker overfilled with questions demanding answers. Not a word was spoken among the four, but a silent agreement was reached. Amy tried to walk into Lucy's room, but an attendant was at the door and would not allow Amy to enter. Amy slammed her fists against the door desperately trying to force the door open. Wild now with grief and rage, Amy threw her whole body against the door. Unseen by Amy, an attendant pressed a call button and when Petrie's voice answered, the attendant informed her of the pressing situation developing outside the room and Petrie calmly assured them that it would be quelled shortly. The attendants resumed their task to sterilize the room and prepare the body for moving.

Lisa from Interpol approached, seemingly from out of nowhere. Amy didn't notice, she was still trying to get inside Lucy's room. Lisa spoke, "Amy, you can't go in there. The room's contaminated."

Amy turned from the door to face her, anger in her eyes and answered, "Do you really think I care about that right now?" She paused to control herself, her whole foundation shaking, failing her. "I want to be with her. I should be with her."

"Amy," she tried to speak in a soothing tone, one eye focusing on Amy, the other looking past her through the window at the attendant behind Amy, waiting for the signal.

"Why did you let her die?" Amy's voice shook making her sound like a little girl. "Why couldn't you save her?" Amy's voice raised higher as the needle the attendant silently slipped into her neck sunk in and Amy crumpled instantly, the strong attendant catching her so she wouldn't fall to the ground. Doc and Scud started toward her, looking at Lisa with shocked expressions on their faces.

Lisa answered their unuttered question. "It's a sedative to calm her. Do I have to do the same to you, or will you follow me quietly?" Scud, Doc, and Janet nodded assent. A gurney was wheeled in and Amy was placed on it. Silently they followed Lisa to another section of the sickbay.

Scud read the sign posted above the door aloud. "Quarantine Level 4 … what the hell?"

Lisa ran her ID card through a slot that was built into the door frame. The light changed from red to green and a loud beep sounded. Attendants dressed in full body suits approached the group. Scud, Doc, and Janet were gently lead inside the corridor.

Lisa spoke. "You need to put these on." An attendant pressed surgical gowns into each set of hands. "We will need blood and urine samples…"

Doc interrupted her, "You're running tests on us. Have we been infected?"

"We won't know until we've tested your samples."

"But there isn't a cure-oh my God, Scud, are we gonna die?" Janet looked at Scud, eyes wide, face full of horror and worry. Her heart was pounding.

"Gotta go at some point." Was all Scud said in reply to Janet's panicked questions, his face downcast, mind still numbed by all that had happened to them over the course of the day.

Lisa said to Doc in a business like tone, from one colleague to another, "We will need to know all the people you've come into contact with since treating Lucy."

"None. I live alone. My wife died several years ago." He paused then added, "I took blood samples from Lucy. They will need to be disposed of according to biohazard regulations."

Lisa nodded. "That has already been accomplished."

Doc looked shocked. "You've been to my lab?" Lisa nodded her head in acknowledgement. A look of concern passed over Doc's face. He started to say something, stopped and then started again before deciding to remain silent.

Lisa looked at him. "Something on your mind?"

"No."

"Okay then, the techs will be with you shortly. Please continue to be cooperative." Lisa vanished into thin air. Doc looked at Scud and Janet.

"She does that, Doc. It's normal." Janet said. Doc nodded.

Ms. Petrie was on the phone when her computer dinged announcing a new email message. She opened the message, read it quickly and smiled.

"Yes, the situation has been contained. The clean up crew has been dispatched. There are no witnesses. Security has been contained." There was a pause as she listened, head cocked to one side. "Yes … uh-huh…well I'm sorry you feel that way, but it was what had to be done… They will be made to not only understand, but comply… Yes … you're welcome… I'll put a team on that immediately…" Phipps walked into the office and waited for Petrie to finish her call. "He just walked in… I'll tell him. Yes … Goodbye."

Phipps sat down in the chair directly across from Ms. Petrie's desk. He cleared his throat before speaking. "I got the lab results from the tests we ran. They are not infected, but they have the antigen resistance to the virus."

"Yes. I have their results in front of me now Phipps. We are fortunate that the virus didn't mutate otherwise we'd have an outbreak situation that makes that movie look like child's play." Ms. Petrie paused, thinking. "We have to keep them here Phipps. They know about the virus. It is a breach of national security."

Phipps remained silent. "I'd like to talk with them."

Petrie answered. "Go right ahead."

"I wasn't asking permission."

"Lucy's imbecile doctor, what was his name?"

"Doc."

"How original" Petrie deadpanned. "He didn't know what he was dealing with or how unstable that virus is. He could have made it mutate into an airborne virus."

"We got lucky."

"Luck had nothing to do with it Phipps. Heads are going to roll over this. The antidote Amy retrieved, has it been analyzed?" Phipps nodded and silently handed over the lab analysis sheet. Ms. Petrie looked it over. "They were told that it was a placebo, correct?"  
Phipps nodded. "Yes."

"According to this," Petrie held up the sheet and pointed to the specific paragraph in reference. "The antidote would have mutated the virus making the cure we have obsolete. Where is Rene being held? She must be interrogated. Damn that her network was destroyed, but smart, too …" Petrie was thinking aloud. Phipps knew this from years of working together and he kept his mouth shut. A decision was made. "I'm calling in Sector Eight. They are better equipped to handle this. We have to wipe the slate clean."

A look of alarm crossed Phipps' face. Ms. Petrie saw it and answered with a raised eyebrow of her own.

"Why is Amy still out Scud?" Janet asked. A droll look aimed at Doc prodded him to answer.

"They must have given her a long acting drug. They wanted to keep her out for a while." Doc paused. He walked over to where his jacket was hanging and reached inside the interior pocket. He brought out a syringe and a small bottle of clear liquid. He prepared the needle. "This will counteract what they gave her."

"Do you regularly keep a stash of whatever that is you're injecting her with on hand Doc?" Janet's voice was slightly peeved. She had had enough of this day, this treatment.

Doc said, "We don't have much time. We need to get out of here." Scud caught on to what Doc was implying. He tried the door. It was locked. They were trapped for the moment.

Lisa appeared from out of nowhere again. "I had hoped that you all would cooperate. It would have made things much easier on you." Attendants came in through the door and grabbed Janet, forcibly separating her from the group. Separate attendants seized Doc and Scud. Scud saw the tiny camera above the door that had been camouflaged to look like a light. They had been under observation the entire time. _The room was probably bugged too._ He thought.

Rene Escondido sat in the uncomfortably cold interrogation room her face devoid of expressing any emotion whatsoever. Her hands were handcuffed behind her back. Her legs were chained to the chair. She could do little more than move her head up or down side to side. She was still dressed all in the black she was wearing when the DEBS had apprehended her. She had a dull ache in the back of her head. A residual from Amy's bashing her head onto the ground hours ago. She could feel the dried blood caked to her hair. She felt a little dizzy. _That bitch, Amy, has probably given me a concussion._

She knew the reason why the DEBS had been ordered to bring her in alive. The men that had left 15 minutes ago after unsuccessfully trying to get the information out of her had scraped their chairs across the floor. Intimidation, threats, would not work. Rene would never willingly surrender the information they wanted. She had the means at her disposal presently to ensure that. She smiled an evil cold smile, face set, piercing blue eyes staring forward, focused on the door, waiting for what would come next.

She awoke with a dry mouth and looked around. _Where am I?_

The men from Sector Eight were dressed in suits. They reminded Petrie of the alien hunters in the movie Men In Black. The tall one that looked like a young Clint Eastwood was getting briefed on the previous attempts to get information from Rene Escondido. He said little, his expression cold steel. He had heard enough. He opened the door to Rene's room. A pair of piercing blue eyes greeted him, watched his every move silently. He sat in a chair across from Rene and said nothing.

They stared at each other like two alpha males searching for a weakness. Rene met his eyes unafraid, boldly even. She would not be intimidated.

"Rene, I'm only going to ask this once. I never repeat a question. If you refuse to answer, you leave me little choice; the result will not be pleasant."

Rene looked at him unimpressed. Deliberately she cast her gaze around the room a bored expression on her face. "I'll save you the effort." A popping sound emanated from inside her mouth. Rene's body jerked in painful convulsions. Her eyes never lost contact with his. Her mouth foamed. The cyanide capsule implanted in her molar cap had been easy to break sending the fast acting poison through her body. While the last strength of living quickly left her body she smiled an evil smile face frozen in that macabre maniacal expression.

He left the room and encountered a very irate Ms. Petrie.

"Just what do you think you've done here?" He was silent. "Answer me!"

He looked at her. "I don't answer to you." He turned away and walked down the hallway leaving a very steamed Petrie in his wake. _Who the hell do these Sector Eight guys think they are anyway?_

Her head was throbbing, a squeezing sensation that threatened to pop her eyes out of her skull. _Ugh, man what did I drink last night that is treating me so cruelly right now?_ She tried to sit up but undulating waves of nausea set her back down into the prone position. She opened one eye a dry irritating movement and the light in the room was blinding even though the room was dimly lit. Immediately she closed her eyes and tried to remember.

The door opened.

She could feel someone watching her but she couldn't see who it was. She opened her mouth to try to speak, but the respirator prevented speaking. She grabbed at the tube. A pair of hands stopped her.

"Shh. That has to stay in for now." It was a masculine voice that was so soft it had musical qualities to it, soothing. She calmed down. She heard the clicking sound of buttons being pressed. Her nose felt dry and sore. She tried to wipe it and again was stopped. There was some sort of tubing lodged there. "That's your feeding tube. It has to remain in as well for a few more days. We had to reconstruct your stomach, but we'll talk more on this later when you're feeling up to it." She felt a prick in her arm. "This will help with the pain and will make you sleep." As she drifted off to sleep she could hear the faint beeping sounds of her heart rate on the monitor serenading her.

Amy sat up. She noticed a bandage on her arm. She looked around the room she was in. _Where are Scud, Doc and Janet? Lucy! I've got to find Lucy!_ Her door opened and Phipps entered. Before Phipps could greet Amy she walked quickly over to him and asked, "Where's Lucy? What have you done with her? Where are Scud, Janet and Doc?"

"Amy calm down. I need to tell you something important." Amy looked at him expectantly. "Ms. Petrie is on her way to see you. Before you talk to her you should know that we could have saved Lucy." Amy's eyes bulged incredulously in shock. "It was not my decision. When Ms. Petrie comes to see you, you must accept what she offers you. There is no alternative."

"You lied to me." Amy began, her temper flaring with each successive word coming out of her mouth. "What in the hell makes you think I will accept anything you or Ms. Petrie says?"

"I am in your corner. When you and Lucy left the country after Endgame I hoped never to see the two of you again. I wanted you to be happy, Amy. I didn't want to see another tragedy strike. I lost my family to the DEBS. It was a choice for me. I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I see how this place chews people up and spits them out. We're all expendable here." Amy looked down at the floor considering what she'd just been told. "Didn't you ever wonder why I visited you before Endgame? I knew what you were going to do. You were going to lie to everyone in that room reading that speech Max wrote. I wanted to prepare you for that, to make sure that you would really be okay with your decision. I knew that you would have to lie to yourself for the rest of your life, Amy, because that is what I have had to do. It's a decision that robs your soul and once you've surrendered it, there's no getting it back." Amy looked at Phipps. She looked like a deer that had been caught in the headlights out on a country road before being plowed into by an oncoming car, and it was how she felt. Phipps continued. "You have the leverage Amy, the upper hand in all this. Petrie needs you. We ran tests on all of you. Only your blood came back with the antigen resistance to JICON." Phipps quickly added to Amy's unspoken question, "The others aren't infected. We've tested them and they are safe. They are being processed right now."

"Processed, what does that mean exactly?" Phipps was expecting that question.

"They are getting treated so that they will forget JICON and all the events that have happened over the past few months." Amy's face slowly registered comprehension igniting an incredulous expression. He answered her unspoken question. "They will be brainwashed and relocated as will you if you do not follow my lead." Phipps was getting ready to explain what to do when Ms. Petrie and Lisa entered the room. Phipps cleared his throat.

"Hello Amy" Lisa began. "Ms. Petrie and I are here to ask you for your help." Amy looked directly into Lisa's blue eyes which were focused on her intently an almost searching expression conveyed in them.

"What do you need exactly?"

"Information mostly and some more blood samples." A technician appeared magically out of the air dressed in a white lab coat. She quickly took six test tubes of blood from Amy. While the technician was working, Ms. Petrie spoke.

"As you know, Amy, Rene Escondido is in custody with us. Her computer network at Camp Holy Spirit was completely destroyed. We have sent a team back to the area to salvage whatever can be found of her computers." Ms. Petrie paused and looked at Amy then continued. "We need you to help us with interrogation."

Amy looked at both women for a moment before she responded. "I'll do whatever I can, but I'd like an answer first to an important question I have. Why did you let Lucy die?"

There was a brief moment of silence before Lisa answered. "Amy, the 'cure' you brought back wasn't a cure. It was a placebo, sugar water, it wouldn't have saved her."

"Surely you are familiar with JICON. This isn't the first time you've dealt with the virus."

Ms. Petrie broke in. "Amy, JICON is a top secret biological weapon. Wars of the future will not be fought with guns and tanks. It will be with biological weapons, plagues that once unleashed will ravage populations all over the world."

"There must be a cure somewhere. You don't open a Pandora's box without first protecting yourself."

"Very true, Amy." Phipps began. "But with biological weapons, the cures can become obsolete when the virus mutates."

Ms. Petrie added. "You don't fight this kind of warfare like they did during the cold war. You do not let them amass an arsenal of weaponry in the first place."

"Amy," Lisa began. "We need you on a special team. Your talents would be best utilized in Section 8."

"What is Section 8?"

"A specially trained covert group, they go in to the areas where these weapons are being created and destroy them." Amy looked at Phipps. His eyes were intent. _This is what he wants me to agree to._ She thought. _How is this better than the alternative?_ She wondered.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One**

**New York Times Headline: This Doesn't Happen Here!**

People in downtown Manhattan were horrified at an apparent outbreak of Asian Bird Flu. Sally Rhode, 54, a secretary at Halo Halo & Roe in SOHO stated, "I thought this stuff didn't happen here."

A source from the CDC spoke under the condition of anonymity. "This situation could have been disastrous had they not received advance notice from an anonymous source."

Jennifer Smith, head spokesman for the CDC will speak in a press conference later this afternoon about what people can do to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. She will also outline a readiness plan for the city to follow effective immediately…

Mr. Phipps picked up his ringing phone and listened to the voice of hysteria on the line. "Yes I have read the article in the Times. We were able to locate the source mentioned in the article. It is being handled." He hung up and then dialed another number. "Give me agents Brewer and Hall. I want them in my office by noon today. Reassign Matthews and Perriman on their case. I have a special assignment for them." He hung up the phone and sighed. He didn't clear the reassignment through Petrie. There wasn't enough time.

Dr. Long, educated, the best in her field. Many avenues were available when she completed her training. Offers came at her like a swarm of ravenous mosquitoes. She was happy working at the local clinic in her Kiwi hometown. Her mind as sharp and brilliant as her looks, she was in great demand and traveled worldwide to lend her expertise. She received an interesting correspondence from a Dr. Washington in the States. He wanted to meet with her, get some help with a patient he had. He sent a roundtrip first class ticket to New York. The consult would cost her nothing but her time. How could she refuse? Besides, her long term relationship with her college sweetheart was long stale. This consult provided her with the easy out she preferred. In a matter of hours she was on the phone securing her flight and making arrangements for the care of her bird, Hammish.

When she disembarked the 747 at JFK Airport and picked up her checked baggage, she found a stocky man holding a placard with her name on it. She approached the man and he took her bags. She followed him to the limo parked out front and got in the back. A man was inside waiting. "Hello Dr. Long. I trust your flight was comfortable?"

"Oh yes, thank you very much. I've never flown first class before."

He smiled and reached for a crystal decanter. "May I offer you a drink?"

"Sure."

"I'm having scotch, is that okay?" She nodded and he poured the amber liquid into the heavy crystal glass. She took the proffered glass and sipped the liquid silently enjoying its warmth. The scotch was a singlemalt, judging by its finish, probably a doublewood. _First class transatlantic flight, singlemalt scotch, Waterford crystal glasses, this corporation is loaded._ She thought.

"So, why don't you tell me a little bit about this corporation?"

He looked at her and silently sipped his scotch before responding. "I'm sure we're not the first corporation that has come knocking on your door Dr. Long. We are an experimental group. People in high places with deep pockets fund our research. Frankly, you came to our attention as a result of the dissertation you published three years ago. How would you like to have the resources at your disposal to make that a reality?"

Chloe looked into his eyes. They were flat but he was unable to hide a spark. "How did my dissertation on viral mutation get into your hands?"

"All I can say to that, Dr. Long, is that it's in my boss's best interest to keep on top of the latest research and to let those with the greatest potential pursue their theories uninhibited by moral and financial restrictions."

Chloe wondered who his boss was. They spent the rest of the commute in a contemplative silence while Chloe watched the skyline of the city shrink smaller as they drove into the countryside; the sun slipping behind the tall towers.

In the 1990s, the Reynolds Syndicate was involved in many illegal activities. Lucius Reynolds, in his prime, was the formidable head of the family. He had a beautiful (significantly) younger wife, Nina and an equally dazzling though tomboyish daughter, Lucinda (Lucy to her friends), an only child. It is a fact that Lucius adored his daughter above everything else. It is also true that the adoration was returned with equal vigor.

One of the illicit activities Lucius oversaw personally was gun running. He helped supply guns in the Contra affair in the 80s. The fall of the wall in Russia in 1991 brought a newfound source for weapons and other instruments of war. Lucius was smart enough to avoid the Russian mob and he had enough political contacts worldwide to give the semblance of being a small time dilettante. He made a huge profit and he used the money he made to invest in legitimate businesses in America and Europe. Of course some of these businesses were fronts for his associates.

When Lucy was born, Lucius' priorities shifted. He wanted to be around to watch his lovely daughter grow. He invested more of his funds into art trading, and looked the other way when forgeries came into his galleries in Europe. He was able to spend more time with his daughter, and that made both Lucy and Nina happy. While Luicius' attention was centered on his family, a small time rival used the opportunity to pick up the slack. His name was Thomas Schaeffer and he was without any moral compunction. Lucius steered clear of him as much as he possibly could, but seeing as they were both in the same underground circles, it was inevitable their paths should cross.

In the spring of 1992, Lucius had an eye opening experience. He had a transport of Russian AK47s and some land to air missiles. The weapons were supposed to be destroyed, but with the proper documents and cash silently pushed into the right people's palms, the weaponry was virtually untraceable. There was an unexpected development which required Lucius to travel inside to what was now the dissolved USSR. The Russian general, Sergei Duma, who Lucius had never met in person, demanded a face to face meeting. Since the General had control over releasing the arms, Lucius agreed to the meeting.

It was at this meeting that Lucius learned of Thomas Schaeffer's rival bid for the weapons. General Duma wanted to know where Lucius was going to sell the arms and he wanted to know how much Lucius would get for the weapons. This was a big change in terms, and Luicius wondered if the general was going to rat him out to ATF officials. Only after a chess match of questions did Lucius learn that the General was looking for a larger slice of the profits, and after further questioning, he learned that Thomas Schaeffer was not the small time dabbler in arms dealing as he'd thought for Schaeffer had started running guns to Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola and the Congo in exchange for diamonds, which were much easier to smuggle out of the country compared to cash. The bottom line: Diamonds were worth more than cash even when that cash was the ever domineering U.S. dollar.

Lucius had to make a decision. He knew that the continent of Africa was in a constant state of civil war. He also knew that those diamonds were called blood diamonds for a reason, and his gut told him that if he were to participate in that kind of trade, a line would be forever crossed, and he wouldn't be able to be a father to Lucy. He drew the line at putting automatic weapons into the arms of children. Maybe he was growing too old for this business.

Lucius tried unsuccessfully, to negotiate a deal with the general, but it was clear to him that the general was going to follow the path that would net him the most profit. What Lucius failed to see was that this negotiation had been a test. He failed miserably, as General Duma had gleaned a pronounced weakness he could exploit, and he knew of one person who would be more than happy to assist in the coup of the Reynolds Syndicate. So when Lucius returned to his home in the U.S., General Duma set up a meeting with Thomas Schaeffer, who was quite eager to acquire the General as a supplier.

General Duma and Thomas Schaeffer sold guns to various African rebel groups. Their best customer was one Jonas Savimbi, the leader of the UNITA forces. Thomas Schaeffer had acquired wealth and power beyond his grandest aspirations. Meanwhile, Lucius Reynolds was content to be a family man. He still had important contacts in ports all over the world, and his Syndicate was thriving.

It irked Schaeffer to no end that Lucius had the façade of being a respectable businessman in polite circles. As cities throughout the US opened riverboat casinos on their picturesque lake and ocean fronts, Lucius found new prosperity in the old business of laundering money for the mob. Ever the innovator, Lucius laundered the money using the stock markets and the ever popular Cayman Islands and Swiss banks.

It had long been a practice to keep the price of diamonds high by creating an artificial dearth in the supply. This was done easily by storing raw, uncut diamonds in safe deposit boxes. The mob also preferred to store large amounts of cash in deposit boxes, thus creating a demand for storage space. What was stored in the safe deposit boxes was and always had been confidential. Schaeffer was put into an unfortunate circumstance, as he couldn't smuggle the diamonds into the US; border guards were owned by the Reynolds Syndicate. Lucius had the respectability and the backing of the mob, so those deposit boxes naturally went to the mob and Thomas was literally left holding the bag of uncut diamonds. Schaeffer requested a meeting with Lucius to discuss his predicament. Lucius was quite willing to help Thomas provided Thomas would agree to stop running guns to Africa. Schaeffer wouldn't acquiesce and the meeting ended.

When Schaeffer returned from the meeting with Reynolds, he was fuming. He complained to the general incessantly, and Duma soon grew weary of his partner's company. That was when he decided to engineer a war between the two of them. Having dealt with both of them, Duma knew exactly how to exploit their individual weaknesses against each other. As an added bonus, he would be entertained watching the fallout. May the stronger of the two win or may they both run each other to the grave. Duma didn't care. He just wanted the whining to stop. Besides, there was a new industry he wanted to break into; it would be the wave of the future in the war business. Duma placed a call to Mr. Savimbi, and for an undisclosed sum (from his personal stock of diamonds) he made arrangements for Schaeffer's next deal to go horribly wrong. It was also important that this botched exchange appeared to have been engineered by Lucius. It was amazing what a few tiny stones could buy from the CIA and Interpol. The wheel had been set in motion and for all intensive purposes, Schaeffer would believe that Reynolds had turned rat for immunity and a safe retirement.

It was these machinations that led to that gory massacre at the Reynold's home and later on to the rise of Lucinda Reynolds AKA Lucy Diamond. The irony of that name never ceased to make Duma laugh. He knew that Lucius must be rolling over in his grave. When Lucy took out the Schaeffer family, she had unknowingly done the general a great favor as the CIA had been making significant inroads to discovering who was supplying the arms to Schaeffer. With Schaeffer out of the picture, Duma was safe.

The limousine arrived in front of what appeared to be an old, run down, Bolshevik stronghold. When Dr. Long and Dmitry stepped inside, its interior had been renovated. The space retained its original clean lines, but upgrades had been made in its furnishings. Traditionally, these living spaces were for the worker class. Luxuries were frowned upon, but the floors on which they walked were marble, paintings encased in ornate frames hung on the walls giving the appearance of great wealth and sophistication. Surveillance cameras tucked neatly into dark corners and embedded in unobtrusive locations tracked Dr. Long's walk down the corridor, monitored her ascension in the elevator, and again followed her into the study.

He spoke to her in a thick but refined Russian accent. "Your trip was comfortable, no?" Dr. Long smiled. "Please forgive. My English is not so good." That was a lie. The general spoke fluently many languages. He was testing her. She continued to smile pleasantly at the older man sitting in front of her. "Dmitri, make sure Dr. Long's things are secured accordingly before placing them in her quarters." He said this in russian and gauged her reaction to the sudden switch in language out of the corner of his eye. A temporary look of confusion grazed her delicate features, but was quickly replaced with the former polite smile.

"Dmitri has taken your bags to the guest room."

"Thank you."

"Supper will be ready soon. We will talk over the meal what need to."

She smiled. "Thank you. I am hungry-", she let the end of the sentence hang as she did not know the man's name a questioning look suspended in her eyes.

He smiled, warmed by her accent and charm. "You may call me Sergei, Dr. Long." He took her wrist gently and kissed lightly the back of her hand inhaling deeply her subtle scent. Dmitri returned from his errand and stood in the doorway. "Dmitri show her to her room." The two left the study and the general pressed a button on his desk. A computer smoothly sailed up out of the desk. He focused on her intently searching for what physical intel was available. His eyes ended up resting on the smooth gait and supple calves. He made a quick call and then got up and left the room.

Alone in her room, Chloe sat down on the chaise and took in her accommodations. She had a large queen sized bed adorned with an ornate head board and foot board. On each side of the bed were matching carved oak nightstands lacquered to a lush shine. The light in the room was sufficient and the floor was hardwood. In the center of the room was a plush oriental rug. Chloe studied the pattern for a moment transfixed by the rich autumn colors.

Her suitcase was resting on a sturdy antique suitcase holder close to an armoire. She walked over to the window and looked out. Her room was located on the L angle of the courtyard. She walked back to her suitcase and opened it. She made quick work of putting her things away in the drawers. When she opened the doors to the armoire she gasped. Hanging inside was an elegant black dress and an unworn pair of sleek heels. She took the hanger off the rack and held the dress up against her measuring it. It was a good fit, the shoes too.

"Supper will be ready in a bit." Chloe jumped at the sound of Dmitri's voice behind her. "I see you have found your evening wear."

"Y-yes." She swallowed a bit overwhelmed.

"There is time for you to freshen up before we dine. You've had a long trip."

She smiled brilliantly at him. "Thank you, I think I will." Dmitri returned her smile and left her alone again in the room. Chloe walked into her full size private bathroom. The marbled floor was cold against her stalking feet. The vanity was white and large and housed numerous drawers. A mirror took up most of one wall and was outlined with large bulbs. There was also an overhead light. Thick white towels hung on the towel rack and when she closed the door behind her she saw a plush white robe hanging on the imbedded hook. There was a large jacuzzi tub centered in front of a shuttered picture window. An arrangement of fresh flowers rested on the wide lip. There wasn't enough time for a luxurious soak in the tub, so she chose to shower instead. The walk-in shower was at an angle to the corner of the room. Large glass doors enclosed the compartment. In addition to the shower head there were nozzles along the wall that could gently spray water from the side.

She set her traveling case on the vanity shelf and opened a drawer to store her make up and other beauty regimens. Out of curiosity she opened the drawer just underneath the one she had just filled with her things. The pleasant scent of lilac wafted up and she saw several bars of scented soaps as well as an assortment of various shower gels and bath salts. _She would most definitely take a bath in that tub the soonest chance she could get_. She told herself. Quickly and quietly she disrobed neatly folding her traveling clothes and setting them down on the shelf before stepping into what would become one of the best showers she'd ever had in her life.

"Okay you can disable the cameras in the bathroom Dmitri. She's clean."

"I swept her luggage and briefcase. They are clean as well."

"Good. Make sure the chef has her favorite wine. It's very important."

"Yes."

"How is Dr. Washington doing in his quarters? He's been off surveillance now for over a month."

"He is waiting for us in the dinning room."

"Good." The general smiled a chilling calculating smile. "And our patient down below?"

"She's making excellent progress. She asks for you often. You haven't visited in awhile. She grows anxious when you do that."

"I will see her after we all dine together." The general reached into a cigar box and pondered lighting up one of his delectable Havanas, decided against it, and instead poured himself a rich brandy.

Head wrapped up in a towel, soft plush robe hugging her curves gently; Chloe exited the bathroom and walked to the armoire carrying her traveling clothes with her. She slipped into the dress inwardly reveling at the feeling of the expensive fabric against her skin. She radiated a field of lilacs off her glowing and freshly scrubbed self. The shower had worked wonders on her. She felt invigorated. Wasn't she supposed to be experiencing jetlag? The thought left her as quickly as it came in. That was odd. She could normally carry on a thought or two for prolonged periods. She chalked it up to the slow rumble in her belly and quickly finished getting ready for supper.

"Dr. Long you look wonderful." The general greeted her.

"Thank you Sergei. I feel wonderful." Chloe smiled at the men adorned in evening dress in the room, one of which she did not recognize.

"Allow me to introduce you to Dr. Washington." Dr. Washington stepped forward with a pleasant smile on his face. "Hello Dr, Long. I am very happy you agreed to this meeting. I've been following your work for some time now."

Chloe smiled and blushed ever so slightly. She accepted the proffered glass of wine from Sergei. "Thank you." She extended her hand to Dr. Washington and shook his hand firmly. "So you're the reason why I'm here."

"Yes. Well the gen- Sergei is the one with the purse strings. It's his generosity that makes all this possible."

A butler entered the room. "Supper is served."

The general took Chloe'shand lightly. "Allow me." Gently he placed her hand in the crook of his elbow which he extended out for her. He covered her hand with his and escorted her to her seat at the table.

They dined on lobster flown in fresh that day from the Cod. It was an excellent meal with bananas foster for dessert. Chloe noticed that everything served was her favorite. She couldn't help but feel welcomed and valued by her company.

The general got up from the table. "Let's take our after dinner drinks in the solarium." This time it was Dr. Washington who offered his arm to Chloe and she gladly accepted. He patted her hand softly his eyes lingering on the toned triceps muscle-a gaze which was not missed by the general.

"I see you admiring our guest Dr. Washington. She is a lovely sight."

"Sergei, did you know that Chloe was a top ranked gymnast? She just missed qualifying for the national team by a tenth of a point on the-" he paused trying to remember.

"Sticking her landing after her dismount from the uneven bars" the general finished for him, "her left foot (compensating for an irritated sprain) slightly shifted, and the judges docked her for that." Chloe looked amazed at Sergei. She was at a loss for words. Sergei smiled back at her. "I am Russian, we know gymnastics better than anyone in the world. Is a matter of pride." He smiled generously at her. "I see you keep yourself up. Is good you don't get fat like other retired gymnasts."

Chloe blushed. She was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable by the overt admirations from her dinner companions. She cleared her throat softly and began. "So you asked me here because you are interested in the work I've done with viral genetics."

"That's true," Dr. Washington answered, "your research shows unparalleled promise, and I want you to be free to conduct your studies without the strain of fundraising or grant writing that besmirches most scientists worldwide who have a vision for the future. Why did you choose this field Chloe?"

"My mum died from cancer when I was a little girl. I want to figure out how to destroy that beast that kills over 45 of the people of the world."

"Fascinating! But, how does viral mutation fit into your efforts?"

"Well, originally I thought I'd introduce a bug that would kill that part of the cell that turns on itself, but it was all for naught." She paused. "It won't work."

"Are you sure about that? Maybe there were experiments you couldn't conduct because they were deemed too risky or were too expensive…"

"Short of creating a new super virus that has no cure, I'm positive that that course of inquiry would lead me nowhere."

"Well our facilities are first rate, and our labs very efficient at sterilizing mistakes. What do you say to a tour of them tomorrow?"

"That would be great." Chloe yawned.

"You must be exhausted, Dr. Long, after your long trip. How rude of us to keep you up so late."

Chloe glanced at her watch which was still on New Zealand time and couldn't believe that she had been up over 24 hours straight. It was unlike her to be unaware of the time. "Yes, it is beyond the normal bedtime for me." She smiled a self effacing smile. "But I feel oddly invigorated. Guess the jetlag won't hit until tomorrow."

"May I suggest a relaxing bath with the lilac bath salts? It will help you relax." The general didn't suggest anything that wasn't on the forefront of Chloe's mind already.

Chloe smiled. "That sounds lovely." The men bowed as Chloe left the room.

The general and Dr. Washington walked together to the elevator. It was a hidden access panel in the solarium and the only way to the underground labs. When they got off the elevator they went in separate directions. Dr. Washington went towards his lab and the general headed towards the quarters of a certain young patient who was very anxious to see him.

**Sector Eight**

Amy walked into a room that was technologically more advanced than anything she had seen in her time as a DEB or with Lucy. There were the standard servers and computer workstations, but there were also some devices that she had never seen before. _Scud would have fun with this,_ she thought.

There were several workstations each equipped with its own server and several monitors. Each workstation was enclosed by soundproof glass. The technicians were inside wearing headsets and they communicated with each other through the headsets or email. Each workstation was named after its geographical area of coverage. Amy noted that even though Russia had long split, its area workstation was still called Russia. Each tech who worked in the Russia station spoke fluently all the native languages to that area. Their responsibility was to be the eyes and ears of that region. The workers came in 6 hour shifts. There were a total of 4 techs for each area. It was under 24 hour surveillance. _I guess the Cold War never really ended_, Amy thought.

A woman's voice, clear and low toned grabbed Amy's ears from behind her left shoulder. "Hello Amy." Amy turned and saw a tall blonde haired woman dressed in a suit underneath her white lab coat. "I'm Dr. Long. I am the head scientist in charge here."

Amy smiled and shook the extended hand firmly. "Amy Bradshaw, but I guess you knew that already."

"Please follow me. I will show you around our labs. You'll be spending a lot of time in there the next few days." Dr. Long escorted Amy down the hallway to a clear elevator. She swiped her card in the identification slot and the doors opened granting them access. A computer voice greeted her. "Hello Dr. Long and guest. Please state your destination." "Level three Biolab" Long stated. "Thank you." The elevator moved down quickly. When they reached the level, the doors slid open silently and both women exited. They walked down a long hallway past numerous closed doors. Dr. Long stopped in front of one and swept her card through the card slot, a soft buzzing noise granted the women admittance. Amy walked into a room that was the size of a large one bedroom apartment. "This is where you will be living while we run further tests on you. You are truly a find Amy Bradshaw, and your blood may be the key to unlocking JICON's genetic sequence. You could turn out to be our secret weapon against chemobiological warfare. It is fortunate for the world's sake that you have not fallen into the wrong hands." Amy looked around her living quarters. "I have to brief my assistant on you. I will be back shortly." Dr. Long turned and quickly walked out of the room the door shutting behind her. Amy knew before she even tried the door that it was locked. She had been prepped for this assignment well. She figured that she had maybe 20 minutes to move in to her room before Dr. Long would be back. She would have to work quickly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The general was in his study. The phone rang and he answered it. The conversation between the caller on the phone and the general was brief and in Russian. When the general hung up the phone he composed an email in perfect Arabic. A certain, important, fledgling terrorist would be very interested in what the general had for sale and would probably want to have some say in what kinds of new biological weapons would go up for sale in his country.

He had just hit send when Dmitri entered his study looking agitated. "General, the patient is threatening to destroy her work if you don't see her immediately." The general got up and Dmitri followed him down to the patient's quarters.

General Duma opened the door and smiled at his patient. "How is my Jewel today?"

The blonde steered her wheelchair in the general's direction, her face stubbornly set, determined. "Where's Lucy? You promised me that you'd bring her to me once I finished those lilac scented soaps and bath salts!"

"My Jewel, I am working on that process," He paused for effect, "but don't you want to be able to walk up to her when you see each other?" He moved in closer and put his arm around her shoulder. "Wouldn't that be better?" The tone of his voice was soothing. The ring he wore on his finger was a family heirloom that dated back to a time when czars and popes were poisoned by the bearers who wore them. She didn't register the prick before the fast acting substance was in her bloodstream relaxing her, opening her mind once again to his control. "Now get back to work. I have a special treat for you later."

"I don't want to see the videos anymore. I know Lucy was there. She loves me. She'd never miss my funeral." The blonde started to cry.

"No, Jewel, she wasn't there," he saw the psychotropic drug taking effect, "but when I bring Lucy to you she will love these products you've created just for her. She will love you again."

"Where are my parents? I want to see them too."

"Your parents are dead, Jewel. Lucy killed them."

"NO!" The blonde's voice shook with tears. _You're lying_! She'd never do that!"

"She did. You have no one but me in the world. Now I must get back to work. I'll dine with you later." The general brusquely exited the room. _This girl's feelings for Lucy were incredibly hard to break_. He spotted the untouched pitcher of water. "Dmitri, we're going to phase the drug out of her water and put it into her food. We can't let this level off. It's getting too hard to bring her back."

"Right."

The group of four SUVs pulled up alongside the driveway of the luxurious mansion. Inside the vehicles were men, dressed in black fatigues armed with mini machine guns, glocks, berettas, and brownings. They had enough fire power amongst themselves to bring down a small village in an instant. It was better to be prepared than to run out at a critical moment and be left vulnerable. Their target was a formidable one with tight security.

The sun was going down on what had been a warm, summer day. The grounds on the Reynold's home were quiet. It was Tuesday, Poker night. _It's tonight or never, Lucius is going to pay for what he did._ "O'Bannion, take the east; Smitty, you cover the rear; I'm going in after you've secured him. I want Lucius alive, got it?" _I'm paying these guys a small fortune to do this, they had better not fuck it up. _

The group slinked slowly up to the large double doors that led into the family room of the home. They were mindful of the cameras. Schaeffer had already patched into the network and disabled the motion sensors. _What a fool, even the guards are playing poker. Your last mistake Lucius. Never should have ratted me out._ Schaeffer heard the noise of a scrapping chair. Someone was getting up to head to the kitchen. The men quickly and quietly dispersed leaving one man behind to take care of him. A flick of the wrist and the man's warm blood was rushing out onto his hands and squirting onto the stainless steel refrigerator. Quick and quiet, just the way Schaeffer liked it.

Schaeffer pressed his ear against the door and listened to the conversation going on in the room. _That fat fool, Bosco is bragging about his stake in the game. I'll show him what real stakes are…_ Schaeffer's hip flashed a red light. _They're in position._ He waited. He thought he heard a dog barking, but before he could do anything the sound of shattering glass and hysterical screaming echoed out the room. _That must be that dyke Lucy. She always thought she was so tough. HA!_

He could hear Lucius swearing at his men and he pictured in his mind the look Lucius had to have on his face. He waited. The room grew quiet. That was his cue.

Schaeffer walked into the room and saw all the members of the Reynolds family. His men had done a good job of containment. He looked at Lucius sitting calmly at the head of the table. He had a drink in front of him and his cards were still in his hands. Schaeffer approached one of Lucius's brothers.

"What is this all about Schaeffer?" Lucius asked in a controlled voice.

_Ever the control freak._ "Don't play innocent with me, Lucius. And don't look at me like that. You know what you did. Everybody in this room _knows_ what you did. You turned rat! How much did they pay you Lucius?"

Lucius inhaled a deep, slow, controlled breath. He paused before speaking which irritated an already irate man. "I did no such thing."

"Bullshit! I have proof!" Schaeffer glared at Lucius who returned a steeley stare.

"What? What is your 'proof', Schaeffer?"

"I lost men. C.I.A. and ATF was at the boarder. They were _your guys_, Lucius! The same guys that cleared the way for you before you got so high and mighty moral on us!"

"I don't have any agents in my pocket, Schaeffer. If you failed to do a good enough sweep of the area before going in, it's not _my_ fault, Schaeffer. You were always sloppy and greedy. Was only a matter of time before someone with an imbecile's brain would be able to track you."

Schaeffer looked at his men and made a decision. _I'll make him talk._ "Smitty, play the tape." Smitty reached into his right cargo thigh pocket and pulled out a small tape recorder. He walked over towards the poker table and set it firmly down in front of Lucius and pressed play. Schaeffer watched Lucius's eyes intently as the recording spilled out Lucius's voice telling an informant where and when a big deal was going down. Lucius's eyes showed nothing. "Got that off your cell. Yeah we had you wired." He paused to look at Lucius. _What the fuck …_

Lucius glared at Schaeffer.

Schaeffer glared at Lucius.

There was a moment of strained silence. Chests were constricting hearts threatening to pound through an adrenaline moment. Who would charge? Lucius reached forward and shut off the device. He took a drink from his glass calmly. "You got that from a false source Schaeffer."

"I also have copies of emails you sent detailing my operation. Admit it, you've been planning my demise for some time! Now I want to know who paid you?" Lucius remained silent and shook his head. _That damn bastard … _ Schaeffer grabbed Boscoe and thrust his beretta against the back of his head. Lucius remained silent.

"Dammit Schaeffer! My brother's not lying!" Boscoe looked at his baby brother. "Right?" Lucius nodded and then spoke.

"I'm going to tell you one more time that I had nothing to do with it. Look at who your partners are. UNITA people… Follow the money. Release my brother."

Schaeffer's men looked at Schaeffer. There was a puzzled look in their faces. They were paid muscle; they weren't paid to think. A moment passed and then Boscoe moved.

BANG!

Boscoe's now limp body jerked spasmodically forward as his brains splattered out landing on the table top like a Polluck painting on the chairs and floor. The shot renewed Schaeffer's men to their purpose at hand and they each shoved a pistol menacingly against the back of a head of Lucius's people.

"Fuck you Schaeffer! I know _nothing!_"

BANG!

"Give me what I want!"

Silence.

BANG!

The next body had no sooner hit the floor when Lucius's wife unknowingly walked into the room. She saw the blood and screamed.

"Someone shut that bitch up!" Schaeffer ordered. It was carried out. Lucius's wife, gagged and tapped up looked at the bloody scene before her with horrified, tear-filled eyes.

"You harm my wife and it'll be the _last_ thing you do, Schaeffer."

"Oh I'm not gonna harm her Lucius. I'm gonna _enjoy_ her." He sneered. "Smitty, take her to the truck."

"Uh, I kinda have my hands full over here, boss."

Scaeffer turned and pointed his gun at the man Smitty was holding hostage. He fired his weapon and the dead-eye shot felled him splattering blood and brains all over Smitty's front. "Now you don't. Take her out!"

"You fucking fool! What are you doing?"

BANG! BANG BANG BANG!

"Give it to me Lucius!"

A female voice from behind Schaeffer's shoulder.

"Hey how's the Reynolds poker battle going? Boscoe bluffing badly as usual?"

_That has to be the dyke._

Lucius's eyes bulged out in fear when he heard the voice. He stood up quickly, panic in every gesture.

"No! Schaeffer! NO!"

That was all the confirmation Schaeffer needed. He turned and shot. The bullet ripped through the oak door and lodged inside Julie's abdomen. She fell silently to the ground, her body sighing a soft thud.

Schaeffer looked at Lucius. _What is Lucius mouthing? He's probably praying. Fucking fool's lost everything and he's pleading to God. HA!_

Quickly Schaeffer walked up to Lucius and shoved his gun in his face. "Give it to me now!" Lucius uttered something in italian which Schaeffer couldn't understand. "What?" Lucius turned his back to him. Infuriated, Schaeffer kicked out Lucius's knees making him fall to the ground in a kneeled position. He pushed his gun directly into Lucius's back. "Take this to your grave, Lucius: Your syndicate is over. Your family is finished!"

BANG!

"Finish off the rest of 'em!" Schaeffer ordered.

When the order had been executed Schaeffer left the room and walked over to the fallen form in the front hallway. She was still breathing. Her blonde hair had formed a curtain over her face. He aimed his gun to take another shot, but was interrupted by a vibrating at his hip. He answered his phone. It was one of his lookouts. They had to leave. The cops had been called. A nosy neighbor had noticed the front door standing open while out walking his dog. He had heard gunfire and called it in. Schaeffer holstered his gun and walked out of the house leaving the door opened.

Detective Plecas answered the phone ringing next to his head on his bedside table. He looked at the time on his clock. It was too early to be a work related call. His graveyard shift at the precinct didn't start for another two hours. Groggily he answered the phone.

"Yeah? What?"

"This is Detective Salvas Plecas?" A male voice inquired.

Plecas rubbed his eyes and turned on his bedside light. "Yes. Who is this?"

"You need to respond to a scene immediately. You will be handsomely rewarded, provided you follow my boss's instructions perfectly."

Plecas instantly grew alert. He mentally noted the time and characteristics of the caller's voice.

"Someone will contact you shortly." The caller hung up.

Plecas jumped out of bed and threw on some sweats. His hunter's instincts were buzzing. He felt as though someone had been watching him. He had no sooner tied his sneakers when he heard a knock at his front door. He pulled his gun out of its shoulder sheath and flicked off its safety. Silently like a panther he slipped toward the door. He looked through the peep hole. He couldn't see anyone in the hallway. He crept towards the back of his apartment where the landing to the fire door was. He put his ear to the door. He couldn't hear anything.

Suddenly his front door burst open. Plecas swung around leading with his gun. What he saw in front of him shocked him. His girlfriend was looking at him through mascara streaked tear tracks. Her mouth was gagged and her hands were bound behind her back. There were two large goons on either side of her. One held a gun to her head; the other held a cell phone in one hand and a briefcase in the other. When the man spoke, Plecas recognized his voice as being the one he'd talked to moments ago.

"My boss wants to talk to you." He extended his burly arm and Plecas took the phone and put it against his ear.

"Detective Plecas, very soon you will be assigned to an extremely high profile case. A coup was enacted tonight in the underworld which will have dramatic repercussions." The voice paused for breath and then continued calmly in heavily accented English. "I'm offering you a deal. The sacrifice you make will be handsomely compensated. You'll never have to work another day in your life again."

"I'm listening."

"But first the nasty stuff because we have to have the nasty to help us better appreciate the sweet." Plecas inwardly braced himself for what he knew would be coming. "As you can see, my men have your fiancée. No harm will come to her. You have my word alone on that. All I ask is that you allow my men to wire you so that I can coach you through the next 12 hours of your life. Do you think you can do that?"

Plecas gritted his teeth, his jaw set, firm. "I have no other choice."

"Plecas … that's a name of Serbian origins, is it not?"

"Yes. So?"

"You come from a loyal people, hot tempered, but loyal. I need to ask for your loyalty." Again the man on the line paused an almost soothing breath. "Do not look at this as threatening. I am giving you financial security for the rest of your natural life. Instruct my man to open his briefcase."

Plecas looked at the man. "He said to open the briefcase."

The man did as he was instructed. Inside the briefcase neatly bundled were stacks of hundred dollar bills. There was also a plush, black satchel which was cinched and tied shut. The man untied the satchel and reached into the velvety soft container. Plecas saw his hand come out sparkling with cut diamonds. He gasped audibly.

"There is over two and a half million dollars in the case. It's yours. If the next 12 hours comes without any complications, those diamonds will be yours as well."

"What do I have to do?"

"Ah ah ah … do I have your loyalty? Swear it to me in the native tongue of your ancestors." Plecas did as he was told. "Your Serbian flows flawlessly from your tongue. Good. Now here is what you must do…"

Detective Plecas arrived at the Reynolds crime scene. What he saw when he walked into the house made him nauseous. There was blood everywhere. Bodies were lying limp in the first stages of rigor. He couldn't believe that someone was stupid enough to take out the entire family. He took pictures of the gory scene. The camera he was using had been provided by his unknown benefactor. He worked the room quickly, following the instructions he'd been given. Another officer approached him.

"Sir, there's one still breathing. Her body was found in the front hall."

"Is it the wife, or the daughter?"

"Neither, sir. It's some blonde. She's unconscious. The paramedics have her in the bus. They're going to transport her to General. It looks bleak."

Plecas's ear buzzed with private instructions. "I'm done here. You finish securing the scene and keep the neighbors away. I'm going to General to see if she regains consciousness so we can get a lead."

"It looks like a mob hit to me, sir." A dog was ferociously barking in the other room. There was a skirmish of claws scrapping the linoleum and an outcry of shock. A huge rottweiler forced his way into the room dragging along an officer behind him. Plecas watched as the dog struggled towards Lucius Reynolds's corpse. When the dog got there he sniffed his master and whined.

"Get that dog away from my crime scene! He's contaminating the area!" Plecas ordered.

Detective Plecas arrived at General Hospital. He flashed his badge at the admitting station and was directed to where the girl was. He waited outside the emergency room doors and watched what he could through the window. He saw doctors working hard to stabilize the girl before she could be transported to surgery. They were transfusing her. One of the nurses left the room. Plecas approached her.

"Any identification on the girl?"

"Yes. Her name is Julie Escondido. I was just getting ready to notify her parents."

Plecas's ear buzzed with urgent instructions. "I'll do that. Did she ever say anything?"

"She was brought in unconscious."

"How are her odds?"

"She's lost a lot of blood. The bullet is lodged in her spine and on its way there it ripped through her liver. She's at best critical."

"Thank you. I'll inform the parents." His ear buzzed with more orders as the emergency room nurse turned to reenter the room.

The doctor left the operating room. His neck and shoulders were tense, screaming at him in protest after the rigors of an eight hour surgery. He was tired, but happy with the results of his labors. The pretty, blonde girl had survived. She'd probably be paralyzed from the waist down but she'd be alive. He was glad that he wouldn't have to tell her parents a tragic story. She'd have a difficult recovery, but she was young and the young are especially resilient. He saw the detective approaching him from his peripheral vision.

"How is she, doctor?"

"She's going to live." The doctor smiled a weary, self satisfied smile.

"That's great news. About how long until she comes out of the recovery room?"

"She's going to be out the rest of the night, detective. When she awakes she'll be disoriented and in a lot of pain. I know you want to interview her as soon as possible, but she's going to be dealing with a lot." The doctor paused. "I'm surprised her parents aren't here."

"They've been unavailable." Plecas lied. "We will keep trying."

"Her father is on the board here. I can check and see if there is another number he can be reached at."

Plecas's ear buzzed, simultaneously his cell phone rang. He answered it. The line was empty as he recited what his benefactor instructed him to say. "Hello … Yes, this is detective Smith. I've been trying to reach you most of the night Mr. Escondido … Your daughter was involved in a shooting tonight. She's just come out of surgery and she's going to be ok. I'm at General Hospital waiting for her to come out of it so that I can interview her on what happened. I'll meet you and your wife here shortly." Plecas hung up and looked at the doctor. "They had been at the opera." He explained.

Suddenly the doctor's pager emitted several piercing beeps. He looked at it. "Got another one coming in. Excuse me detective."

Plecas watched him as he hurried away.

An hour later Detective Plecas was sitting behind his desk at the police precinct. Opened on his desk was a file folder. Inside the folder a neatly typed report was there along with several photos of the crime scene and the various victims. Julie's picture was among them. He heard the Escondido couple outside his door. He got up and opened his door.

"Detective Plecas? Hector Escondido. This is my wife, Rene. We came as soon as we could. Where's Julie?" Both Hector and Rene's faces were concerned. Plecas noticed the full stubble of beard on Hector's face and he noted how especially beautiful his wife was even without the benefit of makeup. They were still dressed in their pajamas.

"Please have a seat." They sat down in the two chairs in front of Plecas's desk. Plecas walked around to his chair and sat down. He cleared his throat. "I have a few questions for you."

Rene cut him off. "What's happened to my daughter? Is she ok? I want to see her!" Hector put his arm around his trembling wife's shoulder in a futile attempt to calm her down.

"Is your daughter friends with Lucy Reynolds?"

Hector answered. "Yes. They have been good friends. Is Lucy ok?"

Plecas was momentarily startled by Hector's unselfishness. It caught him off guard. He swallowed. "Uh we are not sure where Lucy is at the moment. There is no easy way to say this. Julie was in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was a massacre at the Reynolds residence last night. Everyone except Lucy and her mother has been slaughtered."

Plecas looked into two sets of horrified eyes. Rene started shaking uncontrollably. Hector looked as though he didn't understand what he had just been told. Plecas continued. "We need you to identify your daughter's body."

"Wh-wh-who did this?"

"That is what is under investigation."

"Why? God why _our daughter?_ It doesn't make sense!" Hector's voice cracked and he broke out heaving sobs. "H-how did this happen?"

"I want to see my Julie! Where is she?" Rene demanded.

Plecas opened his file and pulled out a Polaroid photo. With care he slid it across the desk and silently watched as both Hector and Rene gasped in recognition. They were horrified at what they saw. Hector pushed the picture back to the detective.

"That's our daughter." He confirmed. "Where is she?"

"We've taken care of the remains …"

"What does that mean?" Hector asked.

"Her body has been cremated"

"WHAT!" Hector fumed. "This is ridiculous! You can't do that!"

"There was very little of her left. She was pronounced dead at the scene. You can read it in the coroner's report."

"You had no right to do that! I will have your badge over this!!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to see your daughter in that state. I was only trying to save you that pain." Plecas explained.

"You have only added to our pain and suffering…" Hector's rant was cut short by the entrance of the detective's captain.

"What is going on here?" The captain asked.

Plecas looked at his 'captain' who was being played by one of the benefactor's goons. "Captain, these are Julie's parents. They have identified her and they are understandably upset."

"What kind of a department are you running? " Hector accused. "Do you let your detectives run ramshod?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Your detective here informed us that it is department policy to cremate without consent. I want his badge! He had no right to do this at all! You are looking at a lawsuit so big your head will spin!"

"What's this?"

"Did my husband not speak English to you? He acted without our consent!"

The captain looked at Plecas. "Give me your gun and your badge. You are as of now on unpaid suspension following an immediate investigation! Mr. and Mrs. Escondido on behalf of the department, please accept my most sincere apologies." He looked at Plecas. "Get out of here NOW!"

Plecas looked at the captain and then at the grieving parents. "I'm sorry." He handed over his badge and gun and then left the room. He walked down the hallway in the direction of the real captain's office. A few moments later he left the room and walked out of the precinct never to be seen again. As he walked to his car in the garage he was unaware of the person tailing him. He unlocked the driver's side door visions of diamonds dancing in his mind's eye. The blow to the back of his head knocked him out. The tail took his keys and unlocked his trunk. He placed Plecas's unconscious form next to his dead fiancée's. A few moments later Plecas's car careened off the road and plunged into the ocean.

The tail got into the van and dialed a number. "General, Detective Plecas has been handled. We will be on a jet with the girl shortly."

"Thank you Dmitry."

They hung up at the same time.

The private jet landed smoothly on the runway. It taxied down the runway and into a private hangar. The general was waiting inside a limousine talking on his cell phone. A private ambulance pulled into the hangar. Attendants ferried Julie's bed out of the aircraft and into the truck. Dmitry got into the back of the limousine.

"I trust you have covered our trail Dmitry." The general stated.

"Yes, sir. The doctor, Julie's parents, the precinct, all have been fixed."

The general smiled a cold smile. "Good. How is my Jewel doing?"

"The doctor was able to stabilize her. The bullet had lodged in her spine, so she'll be paralyzed. Her liver has been damaged, but with time it should regenerate. The next few weeks are critical. She must be kept quiet and clean of any infection."

The general offered Dmitry a cigar. Dmitry accepted and the general lit it for him. "Well done, Dmitry."

"Thank you. What are you going to do with the girl?"

"Thanks to Schaeffer's stupidity, I now have a wonderful addition to our family." The general leaned forward and accented his next sentence with his cigar. "My Jewel is to be well taken care of. She will have a perfect recovery. Dmitri, do you know what makes this girl so special?" Dmitry shook his head. "She's brilliant. You didn't recognize her from her picture in Time, eh? She is going to bring us into the future of arms dealing."

"Do you think she'll be willing? She looks like a good all American princess."

The general laughed at his companion's naiveté. "Ah Dmitri, she will be like putty in my hands." The limousine careened off into the distance, its passengers laughing inside.


	4. Chapter 4

R E N E G A D E

**R E N E G A D E **

**Chapter Three**

**Sector 8**

Amy looked at her watch. It was 7:00 p.m. She had been sitting alone in her new room for over an hour. Thoughts and questions had raced through her mind. _What is Sector 8? Why am I here? What is JICON? Why is my body immune to it? All these tests that they have been running, what is their purpose? Is there a cure to JICON? Was I duped? I want some answers dammit!_

The last thought boiled in her core. She had every right to be angry; she had lost so much. It took every ounce of self control not to break. She knew she was close to a breaking point. She had trusted the people in command implicitly. It was how she had been raised, to trust those in authority over her. Lucy had always teased her about that. Lucy believed in trusting no one but herself. It was how she had learned to survive.

Amy thought about her parents. Her mind drifted back to a fall day when she had been back in the U.S. to visit them. The visit had been bittersweet as her father had spent much of the time trying to convince her to stay. Her mother had remained silent and Amy had expected that to be the case. The two of them had never been close. Her mind's eye kept focusing on one central image from that visit. That was the view down on her father's sad, wind-swept face as she and Lucy lifted off in the helicopter. When she thought back on the final conversation she had had with her father, his words stung her heart. _In the end, he had been right about us, our life together._

She realized now how naïve she had been then. It was a lesson that tasted bitter now. Her stomach churned. To relieve herself from that discomfort, she traced back in her memories of her time with Lucy. They had had so many wonderful moments together. There was the decorating of their new home in Barcelona. They had shopped together to find the perfect furniture and rugs. Lucy had saved some of her family's pieces and she had adorned the walls with several of Amy's paintings from school (the ones that Amy couldn't bear to sell). Amy loved that home. They had been like schoolgirls giggling at the size of the home and they had joked about initiating every square foot of their space. They had, too.

Life with Lucy had been perfect. Even their fights were short-lived and they rarely went to bed angry. _The worst fight they had ever had …_ Amy tried to remember. _We never had our worst fight._ That realization, along with the fact that they never would have that fight, brought tears to Amy's eyes.

Amy's thoughts were ripped back to the present when she heard someone knocking at her door.

"Amy it's Dr. Long. I didn't want to startle you by bursting through your door." Dr. Long ran her card through the card reader and Amy's door unlocked. She walked in. "Hi again Amy. I brought you something." Dr. Long turned aside and Scooter ran happily to Amy. Amy bent down and hugged Scooter. Scooter licked her face and rubbed his body up against her. Amy looked up from her kneeled position on the floor a questioning look on her face. "He was giving them hell. No one could get him to behave. He shaped right up though when I told him he was going to go see his mommy." Dr Long smiled a friendly, encouraging smile.

"He's Lucy's dog. Lucy raised him from a pup. She spoiled him silly."

"That's what all us pet people do. I have a bird. He's not allowed in the lab where I work."

Amy smiled. "What kind of bird? Does he talk?"

"Oh he swears like a pirate and he knows a few catch phrases. I got him in New Zeland from a zoo. He's a macaw." Dr. Long surveyed the room. "I'm done working for the day. Say, are you hungry?"

Amy felt the rumble in her tummy. "Yes, and I'd really like to get out of here."

"Yes, we had you locked in." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a laminated ID card. "Here. This will allow you in and out and to be able to use the elevator. My assistant was supposed to drop by with it earlier, but she got caught up."

Amy studied the card. Her picture was on it and it said L2 beneath her name. "What does L2 stand for?"

"Right now you've got Level Two clearance." Dr. Long showed Amy her card. "I'm a Level Four. Your friends, Janet and Scud, are at Level Three. You will ultimately be raised to Level Four."

"Where are Scud and Janet?"

"They are having dinner in their quarters. Your new place, once you've been cleared, will be within close proximity." Dr. Long lead Amy down the hallway to the elevator and they both stepped inside. "Do you want to try your new card, Amy?" Amy nodded yes and swiped her card.

The computerized voice greeted her. "Welcome Amy and Dr. Long. Which level?"

Amy looked at Dr. Long and Dr. Long whispered in her ear what to say. "Station 3 Residential." The computerized voice thanked her and they immediately ascended. When the doors opened and the two women exited, Amy looked around. She could tell that they were now above ground. The sun was setting its rays fading into orange with pink crest accents.

"Would you like to drop in on Janet and Scud?" Amy nodded and Dr. Long led the way through the corridor to their front door. Amy heard through the door a sound of a pan clattering heavily on the floor.

"OW!"

"What happened? I can't leave you in the kitchen one moment without disaster striking!"

"It's not my fault!"

Amy grinned and stifled a laugh. She looked at Dr. Long and explained. "Scud is so not a master chef." Dr. Long smiled and rang the doorbell.

"Scud you get it. I'm cleaning up the mess you made of our dinner."

"It's not my fault," The door opened to reveal Scud clad in an apron that was covered in tomato sauce. He was holding a towel stuffed with ice in his hand. He smiled when he saw Amy. "Amy, hi!" Scooter jumped up and tackled Scud to the ground happily licking the tomato sauce off his front. "Oof! Hey boy…" Both Scud and Amy laughed. "Yeah, I missed you too."

"So who's here-AMY!! Oh my God, it's Amy!" Janet looked very happy to see Amy. She smiled and ran into Amy's arms for a hug which Amy gave wholeheartedly. Scooter stopped his salavacious greeting to Scud long enough to bark happily. Janet's beaming smiled dropped suddenly. "Get that beast out of my home! He ruined my favorite sweater when he jumped up on me."

"That's just his way of showing you the love, Janet." Scud got off the floor and came over to hug Amy. Amy caught his glance and looked pointedly at his still dirty apron. "Oh." He quickly took off the apron and then Amy hugged him hello as well. He looked at Amy and then explained. "We were housing him until the sweater incident."

Amy laughed. "I'm sorry, Janet. I'll find a way to replace it for you."

"Okay." Janet smiled up at Amy impishly. "I hear you're going to be living next door to us."

"Eventually, Janet." Dr. Long answered. "Right now she is still helping us in the lab."

"Well, when will she be joining us?" Janet asked.

"In another 48 hours."

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Scud asked.

"No, Scud, they can't. You ruined the dinner and now we're gonna be stuck with pizza."

Dr. Long cut in. "Actually, this is just a social visit. Amy will be eating with me tonight. I would invite you two as well to join us, but I don't think my partner has made enough food. We will have to do it though, another time?"

"Sure." There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Well I guess we should be going then." Amy said.

"Right. You come back though real soon. We've missed you." Janet hugged Amy tightly and then Scud hugged her. "Bye now." The door closed and Amy could hear their conversation through the door grow fainter as they headed back through the room.

The two women walked together down the corridor. At the end of the corridor was a different elevator. Dr. Long swiped her card through the card reader and the doors opened. "Your ID won't work in this elevator until after you've attained Level 4 clearance." The women stepped aboard and Dr. Long again had to swipe her card for the doors to shut. Amy noted that there was no computer generated voice greeting and no buttons to push for a destination. After a few moments the doors opened to a short hallway. On its walls framed pictures were hanging of various spots, some with Dr. Long others just scenic shots.

Amy studied the pictures. She looked at the blonde next to her watching her studying them. "Did you take these?" The woman nodded. "They are really beautiful." She paused. "You have a good eye."

The blonde smiled. "Thank you. Photography is a hobby of mine." Amy studied a breathtaking photo of a sunset. "I took that in New Zealand. Shot it on fast film with a wide angle lens and tripod so you would feel like you're in the sunset itself."

"It's lovely." The details in the photo were exquisite. The photo captured the spray of the ocean swells off the crags of volcanic stones. Crisp and bright, slick and shiny, Amy could almost feel the pull of the current captured in the scene. _I could paint that._ Her eye was drawn towards the female silhouette to the right in the frame, its hourglass shape an appealing visual lending softness to the shot. _I wonder who the woman is in that photo. _She studied the photo closer. _Is she naked?_

"Yes, she's naked." Amy's face colored at her host's seeming ability to read her mind. "The subject is my partner. I took that on our vacation together last year." The blonde's voice softened. "It was a lovely day." Amy felt the wind of a wing flying past her shoulder.

The bird landed on Dr. Long's shoulder. "Welcome home, mom! Ark!!"

"Amy, this is Hammish. Ham, Amy." The bird's majestic head swiveled and eyed Amy.

"Ark! Pretty girl!" It whistled a brief high tune. Scooter barked. "Smelly dog, smelly dog!"

"WOOF WOOF!!" Scooter had never encountered a talking bird before.

"Woof woof to you, Brute!" The bird jumped off Long's shoulder and few the remaining distance of the hallway, Scooter trailing him. "Help help! I'm being attacked! Find my happy place! Find my happy place!"

"Dr. Long," Amy began a worried tint in her voice.

"Please, call me Chloe." She smiled.

"Chloe … um you're _not_ worried about Scooter and your bird?"

Chloe shook her head. "Not in the least. Ham's a smart bird. It matches his smart mouth. His 'happy place' will protect him. I imagine we're in for a night of him swearing at Scooter." Chloe laughed softly, an enticingly low, charming tone that warmed Amy.

Together the two women walked down the hallway. Amy noticed a camera mounted on the wall in the alcove but said nothing. The hallway led into an expansive living room the center of which receded slightly into the floor. The kitchen was off to the right and a nice sized dining room was adjacent to it. Amy could smell something delicious in the air and her hungry stomach again growled more insistently.

A British tinged voice that Amy recognized called out of the kitchen happily. "Hi honey. I've placed hors d'oeuvres on the wet bar for us. Get yourselves a drink and I'll be in shortly."

Chloe looked at Amy. "What would you like to drink? Do you like scotch? That's what I'm having." She walked over to the wet bar and pulled out a snifter glass for her drink and looked at Amy expectantly.

"Um, I'm not much of a drinker. I've never had scotch before." Amy watched Chloe pour herself a generous portion.

"Never had scotch? Why you haven't lived until you've at least tried it." She got out a snifter for Amy and poured a small portion to sample.

As she took the glass Amy could smell the drink before she brought the glass up to her lips. She took a small, tentative sip. The drink burned in her throat and she gasped and quickly set the glass down on the counter. She coughed softly and in a choked voice asked for water which she drank quickly, savoring its cool, therapeutic tones. "Do you have any white wine?"

"Sure." Chloe took Amy's glass and dumped what was left of her drink into her own. She then kneeled down and opened the door to the minibar fridge and pulled out an unopened bottle of Chardonnay and an unopened bottle of Pinot. She let Amy examine the labels and smiled when Amy selected the Chardonnay. She then selected a wine goblet out of the cabinet and poured the glass full. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Amy took a sip and smiled. _This is much better than that horrendous scotch._ She examined the hors d'oeuvres neatly arranged on the plate before her and selected a multigrain cracker on which she put a small slice of cheese.

Chloe selected a cracker as well and placed both a slice of salami and what looked to be pepper jack cheese on hers. She picked up the tray and lead Amy to the leather sofa in the center of the room. Before she sat down in an adjacent lounge chair, she took off her lab coat revealing the outfit underneath. In a word her tailoring was modern. Amy guessed it was Armani. She had good taste. The cool grey trousers were offset by a brilliant fitted turquoise tank cami top that accented the blue of her eyes as well as the broad expanse of her shoulders. This was a strong capable woman. The slim black belt with a pewter buckle accented her narrow waist and perfectly flat stomach. Amy's eyes locked onto the smooth cut of a well developed triceps muscle. _She keeps herself in excellent shape… Wait! What am I thinking?_

Amy cleared her throat. "So, um, you look great … I mean, you keep yourself in great shape." She blushed.

Chloe smiled at the complement. "I work out every day at the gym here. I'll show you where it is so you can use it too. It has an Olympic sized pool, steam and sauna rooms, a therapeutic whirlpool, and is equipped with several weight machines and stationary cycles."

"That sounds great." Amy smiled and sipped her wine. She fixed herself another cracker. "I love working out."

"Me too. I got into the routine young and never dropped it. I used to be a competitive gymnast. I got into university on a partial athletic scholarship. If I had qualified for the Olympic team, I would have gotten a full ride."

"What happened at quals.?"

"Oh I had had a time of it really. Earlier in the week had sprained my ankle good while practicing the vault. The judges docked me on my landing."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Eh, is nobody's fault mate. It happens. We can't all be Kerri Strugs now." Chloe sipped her scotch and fixed herself another cracker.

"You could outdo her on _any_ day, love." Lisa from Interpol entered the room and perched herself on the arm of Chloe's chair. She looked lovingly into Chloe's eyes and gave her a kiss.

It was Chloe's turn to blush. "Aww thanks love. So, what's for din? It smells great!"

"I've tried something new." Chloe caught Amy's eye and made a face. "No, it's not like the last time, dear."

Chloe interrupted. "You're going to love this story Amy. The first time Lisa ever cooked for me was at a barbeque. We were in New Zealand at the time and I was always in charge of cooking the meat." Lisa blushed. _They are really cute together. Wow! Lisa from Interpol is gay!_ "So I had had the meat on some, and Lisa was doing this vegetable casserole, but I had to attend to some other things, so I told her to bring out the salad we're cooking with gas now, and I went to attend that other thing." Lisa laughed anticipating the punch line. "I wasn't gone two seconds when all of a sudden I smell scorched ribs, and there's smoke like a bloody brushfire, and Lisa's screaming."

Amy looked confused. She didn't understand why they were laughing. Lisa continued. "I didn't know that we're cooking with gas now meant that she was finished with the meat. I thought she wanted me to turn up the gas on the cooker, so I did and the flames shot up and devoured our dinner." All three women laughed. When the laughing had settled down, Lisa looked at Chloe lovingly. "Well, now, as I was saying before I was interrupted by that one…" She poked Chloe on her stomach lightly and smiled. "we're having pasta primavera with a garlic cream sauce for the main course and plum pudding for dessert."

"Ugh! That bloody pudding again!" Chloe spoke Amy's thought. "We always have pudding; you Brits can't go a meal without it." She said this with a smile and Amy recognized it for the banter it was and smiled. _They are like an old married couple. _"So what's the meat course?"

"There isn't any hon. Remember, Amy is a vegetarian."

"Ah we ought to cure her of that right quick mate."

"I hope you didn't go to any trouble just for me," Amy began.

"Ah nonsense, it's no trouble Amy. We wanted to make your first night at Sector 8 an enjoyable one. Don't let my lover's growling about meat scare you either. She is perfectly housebroken."

Amy's eyes widened. "Wow! You two are so open. I'm still kind of shocked. You'll have to excuse me; I don't mean to be rude … or anything."

"We think it's cute, mate." Chloe winked at Amy. "No worries though, we can't have your puss prematurely wrinkling now, eh?"

_What an incredibly charming woman!_ Amy laughed and fixed herself another cracker. "So how did you two meet?" Chloe sat up to begin the story, but was interrupted politely by Lisa's hand on her shoulder.

"Let me, dear."

"Sure. Go on then."

"Well Amy, we met on a mission. That's all I can tell you at this time as you still haven't been cleared for Level 4."

"Such a tease, love." Chloe smiled. To Amy. "We will tell you all about it one day." Chloe grinned.

_They are playing with me. Huh, well, we'll see just how far they'll go then._ "So what can you tell me about Sector 8 then?"

Lisa answered. "Just that it is no mistake you are here. Scud and Janet are a serendipitous find, however." A timer buzzed loudly in the kitchen. "Ok. We're set. Chloe, take Amy to the table and top off her glass." Lisa looked at Amy. "Is that the Chardonnay?" Amy nodded. "Pour me a glass of that too, please." Lisa disappeared into her kitchen.

"This way Amy. Loo is to your right if you need to wash up mate." Amy thanked her, quickly washed her hands and met her at the table. Lisa met them shortly thereafter and they ate what was a delicious meal. Amy tried unsuccessfully during the meal to get her questions about Sector 8 answered. Every time either Lisa or Chloe would easily steer the conversation off to another topic.

They had finished dessert. Amy had liked the plum pudding. _Though I can understand why Chloe would grow sick of it if it truly was a nightly routine._ It was almost 9 p.m., and they were sitting in the living room in front of the television. Chloe looked at her watch. "Hey love, 15 minutes to Battlestar." She looked at Amy. "Do you watch?"

"Um, no."

"WHAT? No BSG? Unbloodybelievable mate!"

"Wasn't that a horrible campy scifi show in the late 70s?"

"It wasn't so horrible in its day. They've revamped the series now. Me mate, Lucy Lawless, is in it. Loved her in Xena."

"I'm partial to Jaime Bamber, myself." Lisa began. "He's such a sweetie. Does an American accent well too."

Amy had no clue what they were talking about. "Well I guess I will leave you two to your viewing then." A pause. "Scooter, here boy!" Both women got up from the couch and walked Amy to the door. "Thank you for a wonderful dinner. You're a good chef despite what Chloe may say."

Lisa smiled. "Why thank you Amy. It was a pleasure having you with us. Let's do this again."

Amy nodded her head. "Indeed. Come on, Scooter." She clapped her hands and Scooter came to her side. "Thanks again. Good night."

"Good night Amy." They said at the same time.

Amy stepped into the elevator and the doors shut. After a few moments the elevator descended and the doors opened on the residential floor. Amy and Scooter traced their steps back the way they had come and it wasn't long before Amy was alone in her small room again. She got undressed and crawled into bed. It had been a long day.

**The next day**

Amy found the gym. Chloe's instructions were letter perfect. She was sweating up a good froth on the stair climbing machine when she saw Janet hop on the one right next to her out of the corner of her eye. They smiled at one another and continued their workout.

When Janet could stand it no longer after waiting what felt like an eternity, she fixed Amy with a look and asked the question that was on the top of her head. "So Amy, how was the gay pride dinner last night?"

Amy hurriedly looked around first to see if anyone had overheard. _Sometimes Janet could be a little pest._ She rolled her eyes to the ceiling at first and then what Janet said registered. "Wait. You _knew_? How?"

Janet smiled impishly, teasing her. "Silly, the first thing Scud and I did once we got a computer was hack our way into Level 3 so we could see what's what around here." Proudly she took a sip of water from her water bottle.

_Do I tell her she's already at level 3?_ "Wow Janet, you two sure didn't waste any time. Weren't you afraid of the possibility you could get caught?"

Janet shook her head her ponytail swinging side to side. "Nope. We're trying to break into level 4, but that's a bit more difficult. There's this huge firewall and we keep getting bounced out. We'll get it though. But enough about that. How was dinner? I think Dr, Long _likes _you likes you."

Amy had had the same feeling last night. She looked at her friend a moment. _How does she always know this stuff?_ "I kinda felt something similar too …" She began.

Janet stopped mid step and gawked at Amy. She broke in mid sentence. "Wait. What about Lucy?"

Amy laughed. "I'm agreeing with you, Janet. I think she might _like me_ like me too. Or at least feel attracted to me." Amy stepped off the machine and it beeped at her prodding her to swipe her ID card so her cardio portion of her workout could be recorded. She gathered her water bottle and towel and began to wipe down her machine.

Janet, still wide-eyed, stared at her. "Well … what are you gonna do about that? Are you gonna _do_ something about that?" She went on overdrive with the questions. "You know, I don't think Lucy would appreciate that, I"

Amy cut her off. "Don't you even begin to tell me what Lucy would like." Hot tears stung her eyes. "You didn't know her …" Amy was crying uncontrollably now.

Janet hopped off her machine and hugged her friend tightly. "Oh Amy, I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." Her machine was beeping admonishing her that she hadn't reached her threshold. Janet rolled her eyes annoyed at the machine and both girls yelled shut up at the machine. Caught up in how this scene might appear to someone they both laughed. Amy wiped her eyes with her towel and smiled at her friend. "How _are_ you, Amy?"

"I've been crying a lot at the stupidest things. I can't stop thinking about her. I miss Lucy so much it hurts. There's this big hole inside me where my heart used to be. I'm tired all the time, but I can't sleep and when I do sleep I have these horrible nightmares."

"I think that's normal Amy. Scud is the same way. I worry about him constantly. You two should talk." Amy nodded. "Hey, you should come have dinner with us tonight!" Janet perked up. "Just leave that dog of yours at home."

Amy laughed. "Poor Scooter. Nobody likes him and he's grieving too, you know. Last night Dr. Long's pet bird scolded him the entire time. It was kind of funny to see the look on Scooter's face. He'd never experienced a talking bird before. You know with Lucy wanting to be a pirate …" her voice softened and trailed off.

"What?"

"Oh nothing." Amy changed the subject. "You think you can take me in the 100 free?" She gestured her head towards the pool.

Janet took the bait. "You bet! The last time you only beat me by an eyelash …"

_Works every time._ She smiled. "We'll see." The two friends went into the locker room to change.

"NO fair! You cheated! You said we'd go on three and then you went on two!" Amy pouted.

"I did not! We counted one, two, and then went on three. If you wanted to go on four you should have said so." Janet splashed Amy playfully and Amy laughed.

"No we did not! We did not just reenact that scene from Lethal Weapon." Amy began.

"I believe you did, mate."

"Dr. Long!" Amy looked up at the blonde dressed in a cobalt blue one piece racing suit with a matching swim cap and goggles. She smiled. "Hi."

Dr. Long looked at Janet and smiled. "And I believe Amy's right. You cheated her."

"What are you doing here?" Janet asked.

"Thought I'd get a mini in on my lunch break." She slid into the pool gracefully. "So you two want to race? Let's go!" She pushed off the wall and smoothly glided through the water like a fish. Her stroke was perfect and she cut through the water like a hot knife through butter. Amy and Janet watched as she swam to the other end of the pool.

"Wow! She's … fast." Janet exclaimed and then examined Amy's face closely. "I bet she can take you."

Amy's face was set, determined. She was completely focused on her competition looking for any weakness she could find. "Never." Was all she said. When Long had completed her lap Amy tapped her on the shoulder so that she could get her attention. Long stopped and held on to the wall looking at Amy. "You're on." Janet watched all this with amused eyes.

"Ok then. Janet you call it. Say ready, set, go and we'll go on go." Long climbed out of the pool and got up on the blocks. "We'll make it official with a real start now." Amy got out of the pool and mounted the block in the neighboring lane. She crouched down into the starting position, hands gripping the edge of the block. A fixed look on her face, eyes distant, focusing. Long did the same on her block.

"Oh ..ok guys. Um, do you want me to time you?"

"Not necessary. I usually clock 40 seconds on the 100." Long replied.

Amy was not phased by her bravado. "Sure Janet. I'd like to see if I can top my personal best at 36."

"Ready."

Amy inhaled a deep breath and released it quickly. She could feel her heart swelling in anticipation. She had her head tucked she looked up once to focus on the end of the pool.

"Set."

Amy felt Chloe's eyes looking at her. She wasn't sure exactly how she knew this; it was only something she could feel. She tucked her head and coiled her core ready to spring like a rattlesnake on the word go.

"GO!" They leaped into the pool. "Go Amy, GO AMY kick her cocky Kiwi butt!!" Janet encouraged.

They swam hard. Never before had Janet seen someone give Amy a run for her money. The two swimmers cut through the water smoothly, their wake lapping up and over the runoff ledge. Janet watched amazed, mouth agape in the wonder of it all. They were perfectly matched almost synchronized in their stroke. They executed a perfect flip turn simultaneously and glided out under water feet pumping hard to take advantage of the push off. They had one more lap to go. Janet was gasping for air. About midway through the lap Chloe started to develop a slight lead.

Amy felt Chloe pulling ahead. _Ah she's misjudged me. She started the final stretch early. I can take her._ She could only hear the movement of the water and the thundering sound of Chloe's legs kicking hard beside her. She felt her instinct kick in lending more power to her kick and a harder pull to her arms. She felt herself surge forward.

_Bloody hell this girl's fast!_

The slim, victorious hand slapped the wall just a hair before the other equally slim hand. Both heads popped out of the water simultaneously, mouths open panting for air.

"YAAY AMY YOU WON!! I knew you could beat her!!" Janet smiled down at Amy. She leaned down and high fived her friend who was still gasping for air, her cheeks and chest crimson from the effort expended.

"What was my time?" Amy gasped out.

Janet looked at her sports watch. Her eyes bulged in shock. "Amy you have a new personal best! You did that in 34 flat!"

Amy smiled and rested her forehead against the side of the pool. Her heart was still racing in her chest, but her breathing was starting to calm down. She felt exhausted and invigorated. She looked at Chloe and returned the smile she had been giving her.

"You are quite the fish, mate. A good go."

"Thank you."

"Where did you learn to swim so fast?" Chloe asked.

"My father. He trained me when I was a little girl. He wanted me to be an excellent racer like he had been. He placed in the NAVY."

"So you come by it naturally then."

"Yes. I won state in the 100 Free as a freshman in high school." Amy smiled.

"Well now I know not to race you in the short sprints." Chloe laughed. Amy joined in. "So, are we on for a longer race?"

_She doesn't give up._ Amy thought. "I'll have to think about it, Dr. Long. I think I'd have to train first." She smiled and boosted herself out of the pool. "Enjoy the rest of your swim" she paused for effect, "mate." Chloe laughed good naturedly and slapped the wall. Amy looked at Janet. "Let's go."

"Ok."

The two friends exited the pool. Chloe watched them and when the locker room door shut behind them she pulled her goggles back down and submerged, and pushed off the wall for another lap. _She'd have just enough time to get her mile in before her late afternoon meeting._

"… and then Amy kicked her Kiwi ass! You should have seen the look on her face, Scud. Shocked doesn't begin to describe it." Janet reached for the salad bowl and served herself a healthy portion of the mixed baby greens salad. Scud gave her a droll look before taking the salad bowl from her and serving himself then passing the bowl to Amy.

"There is so gonna be a rematch, right Amy?"

Amy blushed ever so slightly. _Sometimes Janet can be so … so brash …_ "Um, I dunno." She rubbed the compression bandage on her arm softly trying to think of something to say to change the subject. Earlier in the afternoon Dr. Long had taken a pint of blood from her.

Scud served himself some sweet potato casserole. "So what's that bandage about, Amy?" He passed the dish to Janet who took a small portion, sweet potatoes not being her favorite food, but she didn't want to be rude and not eat some of the dish Amy had brought as her contribution for dinner.

"It's all part of some test Dr. Long is doing with my blood." Both Scud and Janet stopped mid chewing and gaped. "Nothing serious, guys. I think it's something to do with JICON. I have some sort of immunity to the disease." Amy nonchalantly took a bite of her salad.

Janet served herself a few pieces of pork tenderloin. "So she's trying to find out why you didn't get sick …"

"Well why didn't _we get sick_, Janet? We were around Lucy just as much as Amy." Scud served himself what was left of the tenderloin. He paused. "Are you sure the casserole and salad will be enough for you? I can whip up some mac pretty quick."

"No. Thanks though. I'll be fine with this." Beat. "It's troubling you two didn't get sick either, but I think you were given the vaccine in time. At least that's how Dr. Long has explained it to me." Another beat. "All I know is I wanna find the person responsible for engineering that virus and …" Amy couldn't complete her thought aloud. It was too horrible to say.

"Kill them. Whoever they are." Scud finished what Amy couldn't say. "I want to rip their head off." His eyes, once bright and playful, were dull. Dead. Like the blank black eyes of the great white shark.

"I know what you mean, Scud." Amy reached her hand across the table and squeezed Scud's cold hand. Her eyes were moist with tears. "I miss her so much." She paused, waiting for Scud to look up from his plate at her. When he did his eyes were tear-filled too. "We're gonna get those bastards. Every. Last. One."

"Yes." Janet didn't know what else to say. She hated to see her friend and her lover in so much pain. She asked the tough question. "How?"

"Dr. Long told me that I was going to be raised to Level 4 once all the testing was done. It's obvious she has plans for me. I figure once I've got the clearance I can check around, see what I can find."

Scud got up from the table and went out of the kitchen for a moment. Amy could hear him rummaging through a drawer. He came back into the kitchen holding a small disc which he handed to Amy. "Janet and me haven't been able to hack our way past Level Three. When you get your clearance, go into the mainframe with this. It's a program I wrote that will cover your steps. It will also unlock us so we can access the server at will."

"OK."

"Good. Once we know what's up here we can better position ourselves for what's to come."

"Right."

The phone rang. Janet answered and then handed the phone to Amy while mouthing Dr. Long. Amy took the phone and listened. It was a short, one-sided conversation and Amy handed the receiver back to Janet when she was finished. Both Scud and Janet's eyes were expectant. "My tests are finished. She wants me to report to her quarters after we're done here." Scud and Janet nodded silently. They ate the rest of their dinner in silence.

**Current Day: Somewhere in South America**

The General and his Jewel were sitting out on the veranda, a pitcher of ice cold tea sat perspiring in the humidity on the table between them. It was late in the afternoon, the sun starting on its run into the mountains before them. Jewel rubbed gently the spot on her thigh where the brace irritated the tender skin beneath. After several painful procedures and much physical therapy, she was able to walk short distances. The General was very proud of his Jewel's effort. She had a determination that couldn't be beat. He admired her tenacity. She reminded him of him in younger days. Outside of his mother, she was the only spark of complete goodness he had ever experienced in his life. Quietly, he sat in the suffocating humidity pondering and sipping his tea.

"Father?" she had come to call him that, he looked at her "I am able to walk now. When will you be bringing me my Lucy?" Her eyes, locked onto his intently. "I have done everything you've asked of me and" the General lowered his eyes and looked away out into the distance of the mountains "… and I think that it's time."

He sighed. This was another area he could not change. No amount of anything could make her forget about Lucy. Propaganda didn't work. Drugs. Her mind was too strong for brain washing. In the past he had worked with it, used it to his advantage to motivate her to do things for him. He concluded: _she would never not love Lucy 'Diamond' Reynolds._ The day had come. He pushed a button on his armchair. Dmitri's voice answered. "Bring out the television and the Times to the veranda." Shortly thereafter both adults could hear the rolling of the cart against the hardwood deck.

The General braced himself for what he would have to do. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, silently. When next his eyes met his Jewel's they were set. He knew it was a risk, telling her about Lucy's death. He knew the news would crush and devastate her. There was the likely chance that she would refuse to cooperate anymore. That all that was lovely and good inside her could die, and all that he loved about her would expire with it making her expendable. "I have something to tell you. It's about Lucy." He handed her yesterday's edition of the New York Times. Its front page story was about the death of Lucy Diamond. He had already read it that morning.

Julie's eye caught the boldfaced headline first. **Underworld Heiress and Master Criminal Lucy Diamond Reynolds DEAD.** Her eye then focused on the picture of her. She was dressed all in black and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her bangs fringing her face in that adorable way she loved. The picture had been taken while she was under surveillance by the F.B.I. and A.T.F. for arms trafficking. At least that is what the caption said it was from. Julie didn't believe it. She read the article. When she looked at the general it was with red-rimmed eyes. "This _can't be true._ Lucy would never do all these things the article said!"

The General looked at her with feigned sympathy. "It is true and she did do those acts."

"You expect me to believe that she tried to blow up Australia? That's ridiculous!" She spoke with rising anger. "Gun running? Theft? Kidnapping?" Her voice cracked on the latter. "Who did she kidnap?"

The General paused before answering for effect. "An undercover secret agent assigned to capture her."

"C.I.A.? … F.B.I.? … James Bond? Who?"

"The agent was a youngling. I'd say she's about your age, maybe younger."

"Answer me! Who and why dammit!!"

_Got her hook, line, and sinker._ "Her name is Amy Bradshaw and she is a DEB, or _was a DEB_ before she _voluntarily ran away with Lucy Diamond!"_

Julie gasped, shocked by the information. She still didn't believe what she was hearing and reading. "Did Lucy" she swallowed hard not sure whether she really wanted to know the answer to her question "love her?"

He reeled her in. "Yes. They had run away together to Barcelona where Lucy had a legitimate tourism business and Amy attended art school." He paused. "Apparently, they were quite happy there together." He reached inside a folder and pulled out several 8x10 photos of Lucy and Amy together in several different Barcelona locations. That some of the photos had been doctored was of no importance. His agent ( A woman who had been programmed by Dr. Washington to believe that she was Lucy's mother.) had done her assignment perfectly. _Well, not exactly._ He hadn't counted on Rene's extreme desire for vengeance to backfire so badly. Lucy _was_ supposed to be here now.

"But … _WHY?_"

"Remember Jewel how I've been telling you all this time that Lucy believed you to be dead?" He paused while she sat there silently, tears dripping down her cheeks onto her folded hands in her lap. "Remember she didn't even go to your funeral?"

"Why did I let you keep my life a secret from her? _You made me loose Lucy!!"_ Her blue eyes were hard, steely even, like her mother's.

"Jewel, Lucy never loved you. She left you for dead in her home and ran away like a coward concerned only for herself. She killed a very close associate of mine, Thomas Schaeffer."

"Schaeffer killed her _entire family_ though! That's understandable."

"She took the law into her own hands, became a renegade Jewel."

Silence. Long, deadly, contemplative silence then Julie answered. "That doesn't matter. Lucy is dead now. I have nothing … NOTHING anymore!" She shook with what was consuming her from the inside out. "Where is Amy Bradshaw now?"

He looked deeply into her eyes. She was ruined now. Truly his. "I don't know." That was the truth. He didn't know. All his contacts around the world couldn't get that information for him. _It was as though Amy Bradshaw had fallen off the face of the earth._

"Well … what about these DEBS agents?"

_Like mother; like daughter, but he would be more cautious this time around …_ "That I can probably get for you."

"_You owe me, Father. I want to know everything about Amy Bradshaw and the DEBS."_

_This is going too far … she needs a little lesson on gratitude …_ "Remember, my Jewel: that which you have received can be easily revoked." He pulled a small, black, remote out of his shirt pocket and pressed its top silver, button.

Jewel immediately gasped. "My legs! I can't feel my legs!!" Her face was filled with terror.

He looked at her with anger in his eyes. "There will be no more talk of that! I gave you your _life._ I did the impossible and you were able to _walk!_ You will speak to me accordingly!" He scolded.

Chagrined, humbled and dutiful she replied. "Yes Father. I'm sorry, please forgive me."

**Sector 8: Dr. Long's Laboratory**

The raven-haired woman awoke and looked around the room. She was groggy and both her head and stomach ached. Weakly to the blonde haired woman wearing a lab coat. "Hey … where am … I?"

_Crikey! It worked! Bloody Doc was right!!_ "Well old mate, you're here, and that's all that matters now. Get some rest eh?" Chloe exited the room the door sealing with a hiss behind her. She had some wonderful news for her just cleared to Level 4 friend.


	5. Chapter 5

**Previously in R E N E G A D E : Dr. Chloe Long showed Amy around her new home and work quarters. She also brought Scooter (the Diamond dog) to keep her company. Amy dinned with Chloe and Lisa (yes *that* Lisa) in their private quarters. Amy had a lot of questions not all of which were answered in her time spent with them. Dr. Long has been regularly taking blood from Amy to run tests on it from the JICON exposure.**

**The General and Jewel/Julie are currently bunkered in South America. Jewel is equipped with a brace and has regained the ability to walk short distances. In their time together the General was able to get Jewel/Julie to work for him by promising to bring her Lucy Diamond. Believing Lucy to be dead he can no longer make her that promise. After some thought he decided to tell Jewell that Lucy has died. She does not take the news well and asks about the surrounding circumstances. The General then tells her that Lucy immediately moved on after her death and became involved with a DEB, Amy Bradshaw, who had been assigned to arrest her on her many felony charges. Jewel, in her sudden grief, focuses on the DEBS and Amy Bradshaw for revenge.**

**R E N E G A D E **

**C h a p t e r F o u r **

**Jameson University**

Max walked into Madelyn's office and immediately sensed something was amiss. "Hello?" She called out, but there was no response. It was unusual for Madelyn not to be at the front desk. Max inhaled a deep breath and then tried to recall if there was an assembly scheduled. She walked over to Madelyn's desk and looked at the schedule. There was nothing scheduled after the usual morning debriefs. _Where is everybody?_

Max's communicator watch beeped. She tapped the silver button on its side. "Max here, over."

Mr Phipp's face filled the screen. His expression was implacable. "Max, report to the arena, now, over."

"Yes, sir!"

Dominique was in bed enjoying a post coital cigarette while her lover du jour was passed out beside her. She inhaled deeply and let out a slow plume of smoke which caressed her bedraggled locks. She looked over at the strong nude male and admired his still sweaty back and knotty muscles. She reminisced over the recent events and smiled. _This one had pleased her immensely, she would be open to a repeat performance, perhaps later tonight …_ Her musings were interrupted by the beeping of her communicator watch. She quickly leaped out of bed over to the pile of discarded clothes in the middle of the room. She found her watch under his boxer briefs, before pressing its button she slid on his oxford, which was big enough to cover her naked form completely. "Oui?"

The barreling bass tones of Mr. Phipps rang out clearly. "Dominique, report to the arena, now, over. And get that boy _out of your room!_"

Dominique smiled coyly. "Oui." The watch went back to its silver face. She sighed gathered up his clothes and threw them at him harshly. He awoke with a start. It certainly wasn't what he was expecting. She saw the shock on his face and made hers stone. "Get out!" She commanded. "I must leave; you can't stay!"

"Can I call you some time?"

"NO! Go now!" She stomped out of the room into the hallway leaving a very confused boy in her wake looking after her.

"Over here, Dom." Max's voice greeted her as she entered the arena. Every seat was filled with a body save the one beside Max. Dominique sat down next to Max, a perturbed expression on her face. "I know that look; you got busted again with a boy in the room. How many times do I have to tell you: _no boys after curfew?" _Dominique rolled her eyes and let out a hiss of a sigh.

"What is going on?" Dominique made a gesture with her arms.

"Dunno. Your guess is as good as mine but I'm thinking something big is up." Max responded.

Mr. Phipps stepped up to the podium and the lights in the room dimmed. The room immediately grew quiet. He cleared his throat softly before beginning. His speech was prepared. " I am sorry to have to tell you this news, but Ms. Petrie is a Code 99." Phipps paused while the room collectively gasped in shock. He continued. "We are in the process of investigating her whereabouts. It _appears_ that she has left of her own accord, but we are not certain. Our official response to any inquiry is that she is on vacation. Her assistant, Madelynn, is also missing. Her place has already been examined, and judging by its upturned condition, we fear she may be severely injured or dead. I'm putting out an international APB. We will keep you posted. Your individual assignments in this matter will be downloaded to your PDAs shortly." He gazed through the shocked crowd until his eyes found the one calm person in the room. "Max, you will assemble the Top Squad and meet with us in 20 minutes in the Green Room. Time is of the essence, DEBS, as Ms. Petrie would say. This is what you have been trained to do. Let's go!" There was a bright flash of light as he beamed out of the arena.

"Shit!" Domnique said.

"You got that right, Dom! Come on, let's do this!"

Max and Dominique entered the Arena with their team and a few minutes to spare. The room had been transformed into a makeshift communication center. Several tables were loaded with computers and monitors. The girls looked the room over and recognized Bobby who briefly nodded before returning to the work at hand. Mr. Phipps was overseeing the entire transformation. He signaled to the girls to come over.

"Why are there so many computers, Mr. P?"

Because, girls, with Ms. Petrie gone, we have to assume that there has been a security breach. We have to start from scratch with a new network. One of our analysts is searching through all of Ms. Petrie's files. It's going to take some time since they are all encrypted, but we should know everything that's on there shortly. If she has been abducted, we will soon know by whom and where she was last spotted."

"The new transporter is now online, sir." Bobby said.

"Good. Firewall the old one as we need to keep that connection open. Max, Dominique, hand me your communicators." Two watch communicators were given. Mr. Phipps turned to the technician. "Can you upgrade these units here?" The technician nodded yes, took the watches over to a desk and connected them to the computer. "Give them the ability to transport." He instructed. "Have they been chipped yet?" The technician asked. "They will be." Replied Phipps. Max and Dominique looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

Phipps looked at the girls. "With the upgrade you two are going to be able to transport to secure areas with in the network just like me." He smiled. "I promise it only hurts for a second." He pushed up the sleeve on Max's shirt and in the soft corner of her elbow he pushed the injector gun and quickly tapped the trigger. The gun made a soft pop and Max, to her credit didn't flinch. Phipps repeated the same procedure with Dominique.

"Ok the chip you've just been processed with allows you to enter our most secure areas. You are also able to be tracked outside the network via our satellites. Ms. Petrie has this ability as well which is why I'm confident we will be able to locate her soon. These chips are not damaged by microwaves or other benign wavelength frequencies. You may feel just a bit woozy in an hour or so, so here is a pill to take to counteract those effects. You are to take it immediately upon the first signs of wooziness and then report to my office. Do you have any questions?"

"No sir." They both said.

The back of the van had been gutted so that there would be enough room for the special "cargo" which was tied up, inert, inside. The van was speeding down the highway almost as if it were in a foot race with the rising sun to beat it to the horizon. When the van hit a dip in the road the "cargo" jostled and the driver heard a feminine moan.

The General and Julie were finishing breakfast. They dined together every day and had done so since the Incident. He was pleased at how far Julie had come since the Revelation. He rewarded her with new quarters in the compound. There was no longer any need for chemical assistance now that Julie was converted. He found that her mind worked even better as a result.

A butler came into the room and started to clear the table. When Julie's dishes were cleared, she looked across the table at the General. "How much longer?"

"In due time, dear." The General's face grew stern as he locked eyes with his Jewel. He held her gaze for a moment and then grinned. "It will be soon. I'm expecting a delivery later today."

When Elenore Petrie awoke the only thought on her mind was Madelyn and what she had witnessed. Nothing, no training could have prepared Madelyn for what she faced. The breach had been executed perfectly. Petrie hoped that she would be ok, but somewhere deep inside her she knew that she wasn't.

The room was small as far as she could tell. Her captors had deposited her on a twin sized cot; the mattress was surprisingly firm and in good shape. The walls were cement and bare and while the room was at the moment dark, Petrie could make out fluorescent lighting fixtures on the ceiling above her. Just as she was getting ready to inspect the door to her room the overhead lights turned on, blinding her with their illumination. She squinted as the overwhelming brightness in the room was too painful. The squinting didn't help matters so she closed her eyes and sat back down on her bed.

She could tell that the lights had been turned off. Tentatively she opened first one eye and then the other. The room was back to its pitch black and silent state. _There must be some kind of motion sensors installed in here. Obviously they don't want me going anywhere near that door._ Petrie attempted to take charge of her situation, logically linking who would want to kidnap her and what evil purposes would be motivating them. She seemingly had no way to communicate with her captors or with her home base. She was completely isolated; furthermore, she didn't know _where_ she was. Her heart beat steadily in her chest. She waited for the next move.

She wouldn't have to wait long.

The flashing blips on the cardiac monitor evolved into a more regular rhythm. The pulse ox increased to 100% saturation. Soon very soon the raven-haired master criminal would awake from a long but necessary regenerative hibernation. Chloe's gamble had paid enormous dividends. _Of course the restorative properties in Amy's abnormally strong T cells certainly helped push the process along._ Chloe studied the DNA sequence of the JICON virus. Every protein was numbered and assigned a code, which was shorthand for its unique function. She opened a secure file on her laptop. On the screen a similar image file opened. She made a transparency of the genetic code and then she placed it on top of the new sequence. It matched perfectly. There was only one small difference. A new protein had been introduced into the formula. Chloe concentrated brow furrowed. _This protein doesn't exist naturally. It was synthesized from something, but once introduced it had the ability to take over the entire gene sequence and rewrite itself infinitely._

Chloe typed in her code and double clicked on the icon. A file written at another time in a far different place opened. She read again what she created all those years ago with another partner in the lab financed by the General.

She had been led into a state of the art laboratory. Already inside and busily at work was another blonde haired scientist. She was sitting in front of a computer and when she heard the General enter she turned to see whom he'd brought with him.

"Jewel, this is Chloe. She is going to work with you on our project. You have finished the software program, yes?"

"Yes. Hi Chloe." She smiled shyly. "I've been told that you're some kind of a genetic expert." She grasped the joystick control on her electric wheelchair and glided forward and stopped directly in front of Chloe. She extended her hand towards Chloe who took it and shook it firmly in her warm hand.

"Hello." In spite of herself her eyes settled on the wheelchair. Chloe looked away quickly. "Uh, how did that happen?"

Jewel opened her mouth to start a response when the General quickly spoke. "That, Chloe, is of no importance. What is the highest priority now is that you two get quickly to work on that gene sequence. I want to see daily progress reports from you both. Time is of the essence. I'll leave you to your work now." Chloe noticed that whatever Jewel was going to say was quickly quelled.

They had been working together for a couple of months now. It was only a matter of time now. The gene mapping software program Jewel had developed quickly ran through all mathematical possibilities using complicated algorithms Chloe's mind couldn't grasp. In fact, this ability was the first of its kind. No government had the hardware to support it. The 'research' cover Chloe had used to get inside the General's computer fortress wouldn't be able to stand on its own indefinitely. There was the very real possibility that what was at first a benign DNA code could be engineered into a deadly virus the likes the world had never seen. A virus that if it were released into the population would generate an outbreak that made the Ebola outbreak look minor in comparison.

Chloe knew the lab was under constant video surveillance. It was becoming more difficult to report back to headquarters all that she had discovered. A situation made worse by Jewel's insistence to log into the computer everything they did. She fingered the small jewel box inside her lab coat pocket. Encoded into the disc was a program that would copy the General's complete network. They would finally have all the intel, the contacts, bank accounts, locations, secret projects with which he was associated. This would be the biggest bust of her career. Big enough to get her out of fieldwork permanently so she could move up the espionage ladder to administrative duties, settle down and have a real life. Field agents didn't have a long shelf life in this business.

Chloe had been studying her assistant. She hadn't yet reached any conclusions as to her culpability in what the General had been doing. In fact, Jewel seemed to be an altogether innocent person. _How had she ended up here? What is her story?_ She never talked about herself and the General was extremely protective of her. These were all things Chloe needed to find answers for and to because her time here was coming to an end. Once she accomplished her mission the General would be locked away for good. Collateral damage wasn't something Chloe wanted to think about. _But there had to be some way she could protect Jewel. It just wasn't coming to her at this moment._

She needed Jewel to leave the computer long enough for her to insert the disc. "Say, I'm beat Jewel. How about we call it a night, hey?"

"But you are so close to finishing, Chloe."

"Yeah, well I'm tired. The brain here isn't going to function without food. Aren't you hungry too?"

"No. I've got some sports bars though. Do you think that will help?"

Chloe sighed and rolled her shoulders. "I need to go for a walk. Stretch my legs a bit you know?" Instantly she regretted her choice of words. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Jewel smiled. "I remember what it was like. Why don't you take a break then? I can stay here and keep up the work."

"Why don't you come with me? I never see you outside of this room. A change of scenery will do you some good too." Chloe countered.

"I need to stay here so you can get back in from your walk."

"I'd really enjoy your company. We could talk about something other than DNA mapping. For starters, you could tell me how you ended up being in that chair. What was it? A car accident? Tell me." As Chloe said this she was inching closer to the computer. All she needed to do was switch out the disc.

A shadow passed over Jewel's delicate features. "Oh it wasn't anything that dramatic really. Hunting accident."

Chloe paused, shocked. "Really? You don't strike me as the hunting type."

"I wasn't hunting. I grew up in the country. Our farm had over 10 acres. In the fall, we rented rights to hunt. We had a lot of deer. I was out in the back chasing after my cat that had snuck out when I heard a shot. It sounded so close that I sucked my breath in quickly. You know, like when you've been socked on the playground in the stomach? Well I looked at my stomach and there was a small hole through my sweater. I thought that maybe I had ripped my sweater on my way out of the house. Then I heard my mom scream and I fell down. When I woke up I was in a hospital bed and I couldn't feel my legs. My doctors said that I was lucky to have survived. If the bullet had been just slightly more to the left it would have severed my aortic artery and I'd have bled to death. As it is, the bullet damaged my spine. That's why I can't walk."

"Wow."

"I'm working on a program that will help paraplegics regain the ability to walk. The spine is just one long nerve ending that operates on electric signals sent from the brain. If I can repair the damage, a simple computer chip can supply the electric impulse. That's how I'm getting paid for my work here. I will be able to walk again. I know it."

"And you'd receive the Nobel Prize for your work."

"Oh I don't want a prize or the money. I'll be happy being able to walk again on my own."

"What happened to the hunter who shot you?"

"I don't know."

"Jewel, you could do _anything._ Why stay here?"

"I like it here. What's with all the questions?"

"Oh. I didn't mean to pry. Just curious, you know." Chloe smiled. There was a stillness that was uncomfortable. _Did I push her too hard?_ Jewel returned her smile and looked away.

"I'm not used to having someone to work with. I'm sorry. You were just being conversational, er-friendly. What part of Australia are you from?"

"Actually, I'm originally from New Zealand, but I've been to quite a few places there. My favorite was the opera house in Sydney. It has the best acoustics, and it is so pretty out close to the water." Chloe paused. _I have to think of something to get her away from that computer._ "You know what? I think I will take you up on the sports bar."

"Great. I'll get it for you." Jewel motored over to the cabinet and opened the door. At the same time Chloe quickly switched out the disc in the computer. When Jewel came back with the sports bar she was none the wiser. "Here you go. Hope you don't mind nuts."

"Nuts are just fine."

"Great. Let's get back to work then."

Later that night Chloe received a message on her transmitter. It was time to leave. HQ had gotten all the necessary information off the computer. A team was being sent. There was no mention about protocol for Jewel. That upset her. She didn't want Jewel to slip through the cracks. She'd been given her egress. It was time to go. _I don't want to leave her. She could be extremely valuable as a Deb. There has to be a place for her._ Chloe opened her door. On the other side was the General with Jewel beside him holding the disc.

"Going somewhere Chloe?" he asked. "I believe you will need this." He took the disc from Jewel and held it up to Chloe's face. "They aren't coming."

"How did you …"

Jewel interrupted, her voice self-righteous. "You forgot the scan program. It's linked. The moment you switched out the discs a phantom program was running. It hijacked your program and traced your location. Whatever you were trying to send was blocked."

"Chloe, I had such plans for you. Now I've got to clean up your mess."

"Why would you ever harm this man who has been nothing but kind to you?"

Chloe looked at Jewel shock was written all over her face. _She clearly doesn't know what this man is capable of._ She had to stall for time. "Jewel, how long have we been working together now? Think, what have we been working on? How is a gene sequence remotely going to factor into you being able to walk again? If you think about it, I know you'll see that it doesn't make sense. We've been creating something new. Something that doesn't exist naturally. There's potential for danger. I know you know I'm right." There was a flicker of lights and then a sudden crash.

Chloe felt the cool steel of a gun shoved against her back. "Let's go." The General commanded. A cacophony of sound above them. Explosions. Silence. "Your friends have been taken care of I believe. It doesn't matter now. Here we go." He had taken her down the hallway and they were now standing before a door which had opened automatically. They began their descent down stone steps into the darkness below.

The General paused before opening a metal fuse box. He glared at Chloe, opened the box and typed in a code. The far wall collapsed revealing a cavernous opening. He pointed his gun in the direction he wanted Chloe to walk. When he was satisfied that she had walked far enough he typed in the code and the wall reinstated itself locking Chloe away from his escape. He typed in another code and a countdown started.

_Trapped. Nowhere to go. There has to be a way out._ Chloe felt her way around in the surrounding darkness. The General had made his escape. She didn't know where Jewel was or if he had taken her with him. She could hear the rumbling above her. She knew the foundation was only going to hold up for so much longer. She searched for some kind of secure structure under which she could shelter herself. _Any blast won't get me in here. I'm more likely to be crushed or run out of air._ She found a formation and then a deafening blast followed by a crushing oppression.

The DEBS support team landed on the fallen compound like a swarm of ants. Mr. Phipps dressed in field gear led the team onsite. The girls spread out each group had one member equipped with a hand held reader. They were hoping to get a lock on Chloe's location underneath the rubble.

"Hurry, girls, if Chloe survived the blast there isn't going to be much time. Air pockets will soon turn toxic." Phipps cautioned.

A young blond girl, new to the team named Lisa cleared her throat. "I've got a reading. It's growing faint, but it's there!" She was excited. This was her first mission.

Phipps walked toward her. "Show me." She did. "Ok let's get down there." It took them almost an hour to get through the rubble. Everyone was painted a dusty grey from all of the ash. Broken computer monitors still smoking and occasional electric sparks filled the space with a choking metallic odor.

They had all but given up the search when Lisa turned her head to one side and concentrated. "I think I hear something." She started digging and the beeping sound became clearer. "Guys, can you hear that? Something's beeping!" All went to work clearing away the rubble. Finally a small opening developed. "I think I can fit under that." Lisa said. She squeezed her arm and then her head through. In the beam of her flashlight she saw Chloe lying unconscious. "I see her! I don't know if she's breathing. Chloe! Chloe, it's Lisa. We're here to help get you out of here." There was no response. "Chloe?"

Lisa didn't know why she was suddenly filled with anxiety. She had certainly had experience with survivors in perilous situations, but this one tugged at her in a way others hadn't. She wriggled her body the rest of the way in and crawled over towards her careful of the few beams that were holding what was left of the ceiling from crushing them both. She reached Chloe and instantly felt for a pulse. There was some blood around her mouth and on the front of her shirt. Her skin though warm was slightly clammy, shock. She put her ear near Chloe's mouth and listened. Chloe's breath was labored almost rasping and her lips had a bluish hue. Lisa guessed that she probably had a collapsed lung. "We need to get her to a hospital now! I think she has a collapsed lung."

Phipps answered, "Check her neck. We can't move her safely if it's injured". Lisa answered, "Slide me something to make a backboard and I'll tie her down, but we've gotta move fast." Phipps nodded and got the needed materials through. "We'll work on making this opening bigger so you can slide her out to us."

Lisa went to work quickly. Gingerly she slid the board up alongside Chloe's body and she expertly maneuvered her body onto the board. She tightly packed the U shaped padding around Chloe's head and then quickly tied it down. The floor started to vibrate underneath her and her heartbeat quickened. She gently but firmly scooted the board along the uneven floor towards the several sets of impatient hands.

"Ok Lisa, good job. Now let's get out of here." Phipps calmly commanded. It took four of them to get the board out and when the crisp beam of sunlight broke through Lisa looked a Chloe and smiled. Almost as if on cue Chloe opened a weak bloodshot eye. A helicopter landed in front of them they hunkered down against the whipping winds its blades blasting them. They got the board into the aircraft and a medical technician immediately got to work.

Lisa watched as the helicopter floated up and away from them taking Chloe back to safety. Phipps turned to her "You did well, Lisa. You probably saved her life. Thank you."

"Is it ok with you if I go to the hospital now instead of back to base?"

Phipps smiled a gentle smile. "Sure, Lisa. You can file your report later."

"Thanks."

Chloe shook her head and gingerly rubbed her temples in a circular motion. It had been a long afternoon. _I can't wait to get out of here._ She studied the gene map again, chagrined. _I'm responsible for what's happened here. If this virus gets out into the general population, I would be the architect of the Armageddon… no … I didn't act alone … I had a partner._ The beeping on the machine was transformed into a more regular, strong rhythm. She looked at the woman resting more peacefully in the bed.

Lucy's color had improved. The dark circles under her eyes had all but faded away. Her oxygen levels were almost to 98%. Chloe picked up one of Lucy's hands and examined the nail bed, normal too. Her blood pressure was rising. Very soon Lucy would be awake. Chloe knew of just the person Lucy would want to see. She closed her computer file took out her ID and left the lab.

Amy was sitting in the cafeteria with Janet. Chloe spotted her right away from the other side of the room. They were laughing when Chloe arrived at their table. "Oh my God, Amy, you're never gonna let me forget that incident with the chancellor!" Janet laughed and rolled her eyes playfully at Amy.

"Well, you really did mess it all up. Max and I had to literally clean up after you." Amy replied equally playfully. She paused for a moment and then made eye contact with Janet. "It feels good to laugh again, thank you, I really needed this." Janet smiled. "Well, that's what friends are for. I just wish I could make Scud laugh. He's really taking this move hard. I think he feels imprisoned or something."

"Hey you two, where's Scud?"

"I think he's still in with the computers. We needed a break. What's up?" Janet asked. Amy took a bite of her tofu burger and then wiped away some sauce that had collected on the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

"We need to collect him then and get moving. I have something very important to share with you all." Both Amy and Janet stared at Chloe as if in a daze. Chloe clapped her hands and smiled. "C'mon, let's go." They got up from their seats at the table and followed Chloe out of the cafeteria.

The group stood outside the lab. Scud, Amy and Janet all looked at each other, at Chloe and then back to each other. "So, what are we doing here?" Scud asked. Chloe didn't answer him. She took out her ID card and ran it through the scanner. The door opened. They could see into the room vacant except for an empty hospital bed and monitors that displayed flat lines. Chloe leaped toward the bed shocked that it was empty. She never saw the chair Lucy swung at her from behind the door. The blow knocked Chloe down to the floor unconscious. Lucy turned towards the group and smiled. Amy, Scud and Janet were gaping, incredulous at who was smiling them in the face.

"Hi babe" Lucy said.

"I … I'm … uh" Amy fainted. Janet caught her and eased her down to the ground her eyes never leaving Lucy's face.

Lucy looked at Scud. "Hi."

Scud looked at Chloe and then back at his friend his eyes glazed over, "That's gonna leave a mark." He passed out as well.

Lucy looked at Janet. "Well?"

"Don't look at me you're three for three, Jesus!" Janet tended to both her friend and her boyfriend. "You're supposed to be dead you know."

"What!"

Janet rolled her eyes. "You know, dead, as in not breathing. We all saw you die several months ago."

Lucy put the chair down and sat in it. "Who is that blond I put out?"

"That's Chloe. I believe she's the one responsible for saving your life, or bringing you back to life, whatever the case may be. You're not gonna go all Frankenstein's monster on me or anything, are you?"

Lucy laughed. "No. Where are we?"

"We're in a top secret, off grid government base. You had been infected with a scary virus, which we were told had no cure. Chloe, the girl you eighty-sixed, is a specialist. I hope you didn't kill her."

Lucy went to Chloe and kneeled down to check her pulse. "Nope. Still alive." As she straightened herself back into a standing position she became dizzy. "Whoa."

"Not you, too!" Janet rushed to Lucy's side and steadied her. "Let me help you back over to the bed. I really think you ought to lie down." Lucy willingly allowed herself to be steered to the bed. Janet glanced at the disconnected IV tubes. "You know, I don't think it was a good idea pulling those out."

Lucy shivered. "I hate needles."

Janet pulled the sheets over Lucy. "So you've said, repeatedly."

"Where's Doc?"

"He's not here. I don't know where he is. You can ask Chloe when she comes to, that is, if she still wants to speak to you."

"I've got to get out of here."

Janet took a deep breath and steadied herself. "No, Lucy. I think here is right where you should be. You've given us all quite a shock today. Especially Amy. She's been grieving you something awful. So has Scud, and all you can think about is yourself and getting out of here. Honestly, I don't know what they see in you. All I see is a selfish jerk!"

"Knock it off, you two, ugh, my head … you sure do pack a wallop, mate." Chloe got to her feet and rubbed the back of her head and winced.

"I'm not your mate" Lucy replied.

"Luce?"

Lucy's eyes darted over to Amy and Scud who were both still sitting on the floor transfixed. She smiled at them both as they got up from the floor and approached her bed. "You're alive" Amy looked at Chloe "I saw her die … I was holding her hand … how can this be?"

"Actually, Amy, Lucy didn't 'die', per se. We got to her in time with the antidote. We didn't know how the antidote would work." Chloe explained, all eyes were focused expectantly on her. "You see, Lucy is the first, the only person to have survived this virus. Normally the virus kills within 72 hours of exposure."

"But we had her at the compound for over two weeks. Doc was treating her" Scud muttered.

"You were fortunate. Doc's treatments helped to slow down the progression of the virus, but they weren't a cure." Chloe looked at Lucy. "You would have died if Amy hadn't gotten the antidote from Annie Hall."

"Mrs. Escondido" Lucy corrected "Annie Hall was an alias for Mrs. Escondido. She was the bitch that infected me while I was imprisoned at her tough love Holy Spirit camp. She was trying to turn me straight or something. She blamed me for her daughter's death. Shaeffer gunned her down at my home thinking it was me after he had gunned down my entire family." Lucy paused and looked at Amy meaningfully. "She was my first love. I will always feel responsible for her death. I can't fault her mother for hating me."

Amy looked at Lucy. "I know, baby, but it's so not your fault" Amy walked alongside the bed and squeezed herself into the small space next to Lucy. She put her head first on Lucy's shoulder and then down on her chest so she could hear Lucy's heart beating strongly. Scud came to the other side of the bed and took Lucy's hand. "You are like a cat with nine lives. Please don't make me live through the other eight you have left. I couldn't bear it."

Chloe looked at Janet. "Are they always this sappy?" She laughed.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you", she replied.

"Well, we've got a lot of work to do." Chloe began. "Wait" Lucy interrupted, "I want to know. How did you save me?" Chloe looked at four sets of eyes all blue save for one of chocolate brown all looking at her expectantly. She cleared her throat. _I'm about to reveal classified information that not even the head of the CDC knows._ "First, as you very well know, you have a most excellent girlfriend." Lucy narrowed her eyes. _Tread lightly here._ "Ahem, what I mean is that Amy has a rare antigen in her blood chemistry. She is naturally able to fight off the virus. It's almost as though she's been inoculated to it. I don't fully understand why, it just is." Chloe paused and ran her fingers through her hair sweeping it out of her face. "She's a type O, the universal donor. I took blood from her and from you and ran it through a centrifuge. It was a gamble that her T cells would wipe out the virus in your blood. I then transfused the new blood back into you."

"This sounds like a crazy SciFi plot." Scud interjected.

Lucy looked at Chloe for a long moment. She kissed the top of Amy's head and while still holding Chloe's gaze announced, "There's more, I can tell."

Chloe felt in Lucy's steely stare the quiet grace of a lioness ready to pounce. _This is what it must feel like to be …_ Lucy's voice interrupted her inner monologue. "That was some _gamble_ you took." There was a menacing quality in Lucy's voice. It made Scud snap to attention and Amy sit up in bed. Amy had never heard Lucy intone like that and Scud was very familiar with it for it was her call to arms. His pulse raced. He knew what was coming. He hoped for everyone's sake that Chloe passed the interrogation.

Chloe again looked into the eyes all focused on her. "You're absolutely right. Let me show you something. She walked to the computer and turned it on. "What I'm about to show you is classified top secret, level 6 intel." Janet hissed under her breath to Scud, "We only got to level 4". "I know, Janet. I _allowed_ you in that far. Only Lisa and I have the ability to access this, but now that both you and Scud know of this you'll be able to access it as well." Lucy looked at Scud and Janet and mouthed good job before returning her stare in Chloe's direction. By then Chloe had the file open for all to see. "This is a genetic map of the JICON virus with which you've been infected." She clicked on another file. "This is the genetic map of the JICON virus from when it was first created." She paused to let the information sink in. "Yes, JICON is a man-engineered, or I should say woman engineered, virus. I say woman because I am the co-engineer of it. JICON doesn't naturally exist; it was synthesized. I created it while deep undercover as a DEB several years ago."

"Wait, you were once a DEB?" Amy asked incredulously.

"Yes. I was with the New Zealand branch. Lisa was with the London branch. And I'm sorry to say this, but you are not the only 'Perfect Score' in the room." At that remark Janet laughed. Both Scud and Amy glared at her in response. "What? it's funny .. kind of." She shrugged. "Continue", Lucy commanded.

"There is a new protein molecule on the virus you've got Lucy. I haven't quite figured out what its function is within the DNA, but it completely alters the virus."

Amy looked at Chloe horrified. "How could you make something so … so _evil?_ "

"I had no choice. I was on a mission. I couldn't blow my cover. We were going after a really bad man. I spent close to two years of my life on it."

"So who was the big bad?" Janet asked.

"A man called the General. A Russian who was into all kinds of illegal activities. He had ties to the Mafia, gun running, biochemical warfare; the list goes on and on really. His real name is Sergei Duma." Chloe returned Lucy's glare, what she was about to say would sting. "Your father, Lucy, had dealings with him. Both he and Thomas Schaeffer ran guns as well as other contraband for him throughout the 80 s and well into the 90 s."

"My father had contacts all over the world, and he was involved in some illicit activities, that's no secret, but he would _never_ be involved with biochemical weapons. That went against his code." Lucy defended. "In fact, before he was killed he was going to turn state's evidence on Schaeffer. I'm convinced that's why Schaeffer took him out. Somehow Schaeffer found out about the file my father kept."

Chloe took a deep breath to calm her. She opened another file on her computer. "When I was on my mission I was able to get into the General's network. This will be of direct interest to you." Chloe waited while Lucy, Amy, Janet and Scud read the Schaeffer file. When they finished reading it they looked at each other and at Chloe silently. Amy had put her arms around Lucy and was holding her tight as she gleaned the missing pieces of her life from the file. "You now know it was the General who engineered the hit on your father, Lucy." She paused. "The question demanding to be asked is this: What are you willing to do about that?"

R E N E G A D E

Chapter Four

(Chapter Five Coming Soon)


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